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Y, Shae 
THE NATURAL HISTORY OF SELBORNE, ; 93 
-On.a retrospect, I observe that my long letter carries with 
it a quaint and magisterial air, and is very sententious; but 
when I recollect that you requested stricture and anecdote, I 
hope you will pardon the didactic manner for the sake of the 
information it may happen to contain. 
LETTER XLI. 
It is matter of curious inquiry to trace out how those species 
of soft-billed birds that continue with us the winter through, 
subsist during the dead months. The imbecility of birds seems 
not to be the only reason why they shun the rigor of our 
winters; for the robust wryneck (so much resembling the hardy 
‘race of woodpeckers) migrates, while the feeble little golden- 
crowned wren, that shadow of a bird, braves our severest frosts 
without availing himself of houses or villages, to which most of 
our winter birds crowd in distressful seasons, while this keeps 
aloof in fields and woods; but perhaps this may be the reason 
why they may often perish, and why they are almost as rare as 
any bird we know. 
I have no reason to doubt but that the soft-billed birds 
which winter with us subsist chiefly on insects in their aurelia 
state. All the species of wagtails in severe weather haunt 
shallow streams near their spring-heads, where they never 
freeze ; and, by wading, pick out the aurelias of the genus of 
Phryganee, etc. 
Hedge-sparrows frequent sinks and gutters in hard weather, 
where they pick up crumbs-and other sweepings ; and in mild 
weather they procure worms, which are stirring every month in 
the year, as any one may see that will only be at the trouble 
of taking a candle to a grass-plot on any mild winter’s night. 
Redbreasts and wrens in the winter haunt out-houses, stables, 
