OF SELBORNE 187 



very month ; for, on the fourth of November, more than 

 twenty house-martins, which, in appearance, had all departed 

 about the seventh of October, were seen again, for that one 

 morning only, sporting between my fields and the Hanger, 

 and feasting on insects which swarmed in that sheltered 

 district. The preceding day was wet and blustering, but 

 the fourth was dark and mild, and soft, the wind at south- 

 west, and the thermometer at 58'^ ; a pitch not common 

 at that season of the year. Moreover, it may not be amiss 

 to add in this place, that whenever the thermometer is 

 above 50 the bat comes flitting out in every autumnal and 

 winter month. 



From all these circumstances laid together, it is obvious 

 that torpid insects, reptiles, and quadrupeds, are awakened 

 from their profoundest slumbers by a little untimely 

 warmth ; and therefore that nothing so much promotes 

 this death-like stupor as a defect of heat. And farther, it 

 is reasonable to suppose that two whole species, or at least 

 many individuals of those two species, of British hirundines, 

 do never leave this island at all, but partake of the same 

 benumbed state : for we cannot suppose that, after a 

 month's absence, house-martins can return from southern 

 regions to appear for one morning in November, or that 

 house-swallows should leave the districts of Africa to 

 enjoy, in March, the transient summer of a couple of 

 days. 



I am, etc. 



LETTER XXXVII 



TO THE HONOURABLE DAINES BARRINGTON 



Selborne, Jan. 8, 1778. 



Dear Sir, 

 There was in this village several years ago a miserable 

 pauper, who, from his birth, was afflicted with a leprosy, 

 as far as we are aware of a singular kind, since it affected 

 only the palms of his hands and the soles of his feet. 



