126 THE NATURAL HISTORY OF SELBORNE, 
then the inaptitude for flying arises only from an eagerness for 
food; as sheep are observed to be very intent on grazing 
against stormy wet evenings. 
[In his Observations on Nature, White has the following 
remarks on birds in general, which may very well find a place 
here : — 
“In severe weather, fieldfares, redwings, skylarks, and tit- 
larks resort to watered meadows for food; the latter wades 
up to its belly in pursuit of the pupz of insects, and runs 
along upon the floating grass and weeds. Many gnats are on 
the snow near the water ; these support the birds in part. 
“Birds are much influenced in their choice of food by color, 
for though white currants are a much sweeter fruit than red, 
yet they seldom touch the former till they have devoured every 
bunch of the latter. 
“ Redstarts, fly-catchers, and black-caps arrive early in 
April. If these little delicate beings are birds of passage (as 
we have reason to suppose they are, because they are never 
seen in winter), how could they, feeble as they seem, bear up 
against such storms of snow and rain, and make their way 
through such meteorous turbulences, as one should suppose 
would embarrass and retard the most hardy and resolute of 
the winged nation? Yet they keep their appointed times and 
seasons; and in spite of frosts and winds return to their 
stations periodically as if they had met with nothing to 
obstruct them. The withdrawing and appearance of the short- 
winged summer birds is a very puzzling circumstance in natural 
history. 
“When the boys bring me wasps’ nests, my bantam fowls 
fare deliciously, and when the combs are pulled to pieces, 
devour the young wasps in their maggot state with the highest 
glee and delight. Any insect-eating bird would do the same ; 
and therefore I have wondered that the accurate Mr. Ray 
should call one species of buzzard the honey buzzard, because 
