124 THE NATURAL HISTORY 



LETTER HI 



Selborne, Jan. 15, 1770. 

 Dear Sir, 



It was no small matter of satisfaction to me to find that 

 you were not displeased with my little methodus of birds. 

 If there was any merit in the sketch, it must be owing to 

 its punctuality. For many months I carried a list in my 

 pocket of the birds that were to be remarked, and, as I 

 rode or walked about my business, I noted each day the 

 continuance or omission of each bird's song ; so that I am 

 as sure of the certainty of my facts as a man can be of any 

 transaction whatsoever. 



I shall now proceed to answer the several queries which 

 you put in your two obliging letters, in the best manner 

 that I am able. Perhaps Eastwick, and its environs, 

 where you heard so very few birds, is not a woodland 

 country, and therefore not stocked with such songsters. 

 If you will cast your eye on my last letter, you will 

 find that many species continued to warble after the 

 beginning of July. 



The titlark and yellowhammer breed late, the latter 

 very late ; and therefore it is no wonder that they protract 

 their song ; for I lay it down as a maxim in ornithology, 

 that as long as there is any incubation going on there is 

 music. As to the red-breast and wren, it is well known 

 to the most incurious observer that they whistle the year 

 round, hard frost excepted ; especially the latter. 



It was not in my power to procure you a black-cap, or 

 a less reed-sparrow, or sedge-bird, alive. As the first is 

 undoubtedly, and the last, as far as I can yet see, a 

 summer bird of passage, they would require more nice 

 and curious management in a cage than I should be able 



