OF SELBORNE. 175 



joyous notes, and begins about the same 

 time. 



Wrens sing all the Winter through, frost 

 excepted. 



House-martins came remarkably late this 

 year both in Hampshire and Devonshire : 

 is this circumstance for or against either 

 hiding or migration ? 



Most birds drink sipping at intervals ; 

 but pigeons take a long continued draught, 

 like quadrupeds. 



Notwithstanding what I have said in a 

 former letter, no grey crows were ever 

 known to breed on Dartmoor ; it was my 

 mistake. 



The appearance and flying of the scara- 

 h(Bus solstitialis, or fern-chafer, commence 

 with the month of J^^/y, and cease about 

 the end of it. These scarabs are the con- 

 stant food of caprimulgi, or fern owls, 

 through that period. They abound on the 

 chalky downs and in some sandy districts, 

 but not in the clays. 



In the garden of the Black-bear inn in 

 the town of Reading is a stream or canal 



