OF SELBORNE. 



281 



harvest they begin to be taken in great 

 numbers ; are sent for sale in vast quantities 

 to bright helms tone wcidTunbridge ; and ap- 

 pear at the tables of all the gentry that en- 

 tertain with any degree of elegance. About 

 Michaelmas they retire, and are seen no 

 more till March, Though these birds are, 

 when in season, in great plenty on the 

 South downs round Lewes, yet at East- 

 Bourn, which is the eastern extremity of 

 those downs, they abound much more. 

 One thing is very remarkable — that though 

 in the height of the season so many hun- 

 dreds of dozens are taken, yet they never 

 are seen to flock ; and it is a rare thing to 

 see more than three or four at a time : so 

 that there must be a perpetual flitting and 

 constant progressive succession. It does 

 not appear that any wheat-ears are taken 

 to the westward of Houghton bridge, which 

 stands on the river Arun, 



I did not fail to look particularly after 

 my new migration of ring-ousels ; and to 

 take notice whether they continued on the 

 downs to this season of the year; as 1 had 



