OF SELBORNE. 139 



House-martins, which are always more 

 backward than Swallows, were not ob- 

 served till May came in. 



Among the monogainous birds several are 

 to be found, after pairing-time, single, and 

 of each sex : but whether this state of celi- 

 bacy is matter of choice or necessity, is not 

 so easily discoverable. When the house- 

 sparrows deprive my martins of their nests, 

 as soon as I cause one to be shot, the other, 

 be it cock or hen, presently procures a 

 mate, and so for several times following. 



I have known a dove-house infested by a 

 pair of white owls, which made great 

 havock among the young pigeons : one of 

 the owls was shot as soon as possible ; but 

 the survivor readily found a mate, and the 

 mischief went on. After some time the 

 new pair were both destroyed, and the 

 annoyance ceased. 



Another instance I remember of a sports- 

 man, whose zeal for the increase of his 

 game being greater than his humanity, 

 after pairing-time he always shot the cock 

 bird of every couple of partridges upon 



