OF 8ELB011NE, 
195 
ance, and are not tlie least curious specimens in that 
wonderful collection of art and nature/ 
Thus is instinct in animals, taken the least out of its way^ 
an undistinguishing, limited faculty; and blind to every 
circumstance that does not immediately respect self-pre- 
servation_, or lead at once to the propagation or support of 
their species. 
LETTER XIX. 
TO THE HONOURABLE DAINES BARRINGTON. 
SixcoRNE, Feb. 14, 1774. 
RECEIVED your favour of the eighth, and 
am pleased to find that you read my little 
history of the swallow with your usual can- 
dour : nor was I the less pleased to find that 
you made objections where you saw reason. 
As to the quotations, it is difficult to say precisely which 
species of Hirundo Virgil might intend in the lines in 
question, since the ancients did not attend to specific 
differences like modern naturalists ; yet somewhat may be 
gathered, enough to incline me to suppose that in the two 
passages quoted, the poet had his eye on the swallow. 
In the first place the epithet garrula suits the swallow well, 
who is a great songster ; and not the martin, which is rather a 
mute bird ; and when it sings is so inward as scarce to be 
heard. Besides, if tignum in that place signifies a rafter 
rather than a beam, as it seems to me to do, then I think it 
must be the swallow that is alluded to, and not the martin ; 
since the former does frequently build within the roof 
against the rafters ; while the latter always, as far as I have 
been able to observe, builds without the roof against eaves 
and cornices. 
As to the simile, too much stress must not be laid on it ; 
Sir Asbon Lever's Museum, since dispersed, see p. 8, note. — Ei>. 
