OF SELBORNE. 227 



As I rode along near the coast I kept a 

 very sharp look-out in the lanes and woods, 

 boping I might, at this time of the year, 

 have discovered some of the Summer short- 

 winged birds of passage crowding towards 

 the coast in order for their departure : but 

 it was very extraordinary that I never saw 

 a redstart, white-throat, black-cap, un- 

 crested wren, fly-catcher, &c. And I re- 

 member to have made the same remark in 

 former years, as I usually come to this 

 place annually about this time. The birds 

 most common along the coast at present 

 are the stone-chatters, whinchats, buntings, 

 linnets, some few wheat-ears, tit-larks, &c. 

 Swallows and house-martins abound yet, 

 induced to prolong their stay by this soft, 

 still, dry season. 



A land tortoise, which has been kept for 

 thirty years in a little walled court belong- 

 ing to the house where I now am visiting, 

 retires under ground about the middle of 

 November, and comes forth again about the 

 middle of April. When it first appears in 

 the Spring it discovers very little inclina- 



Q 2 



