BRITISH BIRDS. 
257 
aits of that river, where they rooft: They retire 
in vaft flocks together about the beginning of Oc- 
tober.” He adds, “ that they appeared of late 
years in confiderable numbers in the neighbour- 
hood of Selborne, for one day or two, as late as 
November the 3d and 6th, after they were flip- 
pofed to have been gone for more than a fort- 
night.” He concludes with this obfervation 
“ Unlefs thefe birds are very Ihort-lived indeed, or 
unlefs they do not return to the diftrid where they 
have been bred, they mull undergo vaft devafta- 
tions fomehow and fomewhere ; for the birds that 
return yearly bear no manner of proportion to 
thofe that retire.” 
