OF SELBORNE. 93 



suspicions that many of the house-martins 

 do not depart in the Winter far from this 

 village. I therefore determined to make 

 some search about the south-east end of the 

 hill, where I imagined they might slumber 

 out the uncomfortable months of Winter. 

 But supposing that the examination would 

 be made to the best advantage in the Spring, 

 and observing that no martins had ap- 

 peared by the 11th of April last; on that 

 day I employed some men to explore the 

 shrubs and cavities of the suspected spot. 

 The persons took pains, but without any 

 success ; however a remarkable incident 

 occurred in the midst of our pursuit — 

 while the labourers were at work a house- 

 martin, the first that had been seen this 

 year, came down the village in the sight of 

 several people, and went at once into a 

 nest, where it stayed a short time, and then 

 flew over the houses ; for some days after, 

 no martins were observed, not till the 16th 

 of Aprily and then only a pair. Martins in 

 general were remarkably late this year. 



