302 BIRDS AND MAN 



Then there would be much to say concerning 

 the changes in the bird population of Selborne 

 parish, and of the southern counties generally. 

 A few small species — ^hawfinch, prettychaprj, and 

 goldcrest — were much more common now than 

 in his day ; but a very different and sadder story 

 had to be told of most large birds. Not only had 

 the honey buzzard never returned to nest on the 

 beeches of the Hanger since 1780, but it had 

 continued to decrease everywhere in England 

 and was now extinct. The raven, too, was lost 

 to England as an inland breeder. It could not 

 now be said that " there are bustards on the wide 

 downs near Brighthelmstone," nor indeed any- 

 where in the kingdom. The South Downs were 

 unchanged, and there were still pretty rides and 

 prospects round Lewes ; but he might now make 

 his autumn journey to Ringmer ^without seeing 

 kites and buzzards, since these had both vanished; 

 nor would he find the chough breeding at Beachy 

 Head, and all along the Sussex coast. It would 

 also be necessary to mention the disappearance 

 of the quail, and the growing scarcity of other 

 once abundant species, such as the stone plover 

 and curlew, and even of the white owl, which 



