OF 8ELB0BNE. 
287 
low shrubs above the cottages at the end of the hill. This 
spot in many respects seems to be well calculated for their 
winter residence: for in many parts it is as steep as the roof 
of any house^ and^ therefore^ secure from the annoyances of 
water; and it is, moreover, clothed with beechen shrubs, 
which, being stunted and bitten by sheep, make the thickest 
covert imaginable, and are so entangled as to be impervious 
to the smallest spaniel : besides, it is the nature of under- 
wood beech never to cast its leaf all the winter, so that, with 
the leaves on the ground, and those on the twigs, no shelter 
can be more complete. I watched them on to the 13th and 
14th of October, and found their evening retreat was exact 
and uniform ; but after this they made no regular appear- 
ance. Now and then a straggler was seen; and, on the 
22nd of October, I observed two, in the morning, over the 
village, and with them my remarks for the season ended. 
From all these circumstances put together, it is more 
than probable that this lingering flight, at so late a season 
of the year, never departed from the island.^ Had they 
indulged me that autumn with a November visit, as I much 
desired, I presume that, with proper assistants, I should 
have settled the matter past all doubt ; but though the 3rd 
of November was a sweet day, and in appearance exactly 
suited to my wishes, yet not a martin was to be seen, and 
so I was forced, reluctantly, to give up the pursuit. 
I have only to add, that were the bushes, which cover 
some acres, and are not my own property, to be grubbed 
and carefully examined, probably those late broods, and 
perhaps the whole aggregate bodj' of the house martins of 
^ Upon this passage the Rev. Mr. Herbert remarks that the author 
appears to have a strong bias to belieA^e that martins, &c., remain dor- 
mant in this country, having " taken up a very erroneous notion of the 
difficulty of the passage," and "drawing from circumstances probabilities 
which are not justified by his statements." It is scarcely necessary at 
the present day, either to follow or support Mr. Herbert in his argu- 
ments against hybernation, and in favour of migration, since all well, 
informed naturalists are now agreed that the theory advanced by Gilbert 
White is untenable. Were any proof of migration required, much 
stronger evidence than that adduced by Mr. Herbert could readily be 
supplied. — Ed. 
