Photo by J. H. Comstock 



Residence of Gilbert White at Selbourne 



Notes on Bird Migration by White of Selbourne, 



1720-1793 



Clara I. Thomas 



Washington, D. C. 



Of the almost innumerable subjects upon which Gilbert White 

 made observations, his interest seemed to incline more to the study 

 of birds than all others, and this is most natural when we consider 

 that Selbourne must have been a veritable bird haven, for he says, 

 "Selbourne parish alone can and has exhibited at times more than 

 half the birds that are ever seen in all Sweden; the former has 

 produced more than 120 species, the latter only 221. Let me add 

 also that it has shown near half the -species that were ever known in 

 G. Britain." But that part of bird study which fascinated him 

 most, probably because it is human nature to strive for that which 

 eludes our reach, was the matter bird migration. There are but 

 few letters in which he has not made some observation or comment 

 upon this subject, often quite irrelevantly, so that one is impressed 

 that that perplexing subject was constantly upon his mind. 



In this advanced age when there are expert observers posted in 

 all parts of our country recording the exact movements of birds 



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