The Natural History of Selborne Volume I Part 11

2,6,7,9,10,11,16,18, _Motacilla_. 17. _Rallus_.

3,4,5,15, _Hirundo_. 19. _Caprimulgus_.

8, _Cuculus_. 14. _Alauda_.

12, _Charadrius_. 20. _Muscicapa_.

Most soft-billed birds live on insects, and not on grain and seeds, and therefore at the end of summer they retire: but the following soft-billed birds, though insect-eaters, stay with us the year round:--

RAII NOMINA.

Redbreast, Wren, _Rubecula. Pa.s.ser These frequent houses, troglodytes_. and haunt out-buildings in the winter: eat spiders.

Hedge-sparrow, _Curruca_. Haunt sinks for crumbs and other sweepings.

White-wagtail, Yellow-wagtail, Grey-wagtail, _Motacilla alba_. These frequent shallow _Motacilla flava_. rivulets near the spring _Motacilla cinerea_. heads, where they never freeze: eat the aureliae of _Phryganea_. The smallest birds that walk.

Wheatear, _OEnanthe_. Some of these are to be seen with us the winter through.

Whinchat, Stone-chatter, _OEnanthe secunda_.

_OEnanthe tertia_.

Golden-crowned wren, _Regulus cristatus_. This is the smallest British bird: haunts the tops of tall trees; stays the winter through.

A LIST OF THE WINTER BIRDS OF Pa.s.sAGE ROUND THIS NEIGHBOURHOOD, RANGED SOMEWHAT IN THE ORDER IN WHICH THEY APPEAR.

RAII NOMINA.

1. Ring-ousel, _Merula torquata_. This is a new migration, which I have lately discovered about Michaelmas week, and again about the 14th March.

2. Redwing, _t.u.r.dus iliacus_. About old Michaelmas.

3. Fieldfare, _t.u.r.dus pilaris_. Though a percher by day, roosts on the ground.

4. Royston-crow, _Cornix cinerea_. Most frequent on downs.

5. Woodc.o.c.k, _Scolopax_. Appears about old Michaelmas.

6. Snipe, _Gallinago minor_. Some snipes constantly breed with us.

7. Jack-snipe, _Gallinago minima_.

8. Wood-pigeon, _OEnas_. Seldom appears till late; not in such plenty as formerly.

9. Wild-swan, _Cygnus ferus_. On some large waters.

10. Wild-goose, _Anser ferus_. ) 11. Wild-duck, _Anas torquata ) minor_.

12. Pochard, _Anas fera fusca_. ) 13. Wigeon, _Penelope_. ) On our lakes and streams.

14. Teal, breeds with _Querquedula_. ) us in Wolmer Forest, 15. Gross-beak, _Coccothraustes_. ) These are only wanderers that 16. Cross-bill, _Loxia_. ) appear occasionally, and are not 17. Silk-tail, _Garrulus ) observant of any bohemicus_. regular migration.

The birds, as they stand numerically, belong to the following Linnaean genera:--

1,2,3, t.u.r.dus. 9,10,11,12,13,14, Anas.

4, Corvus. 15,16, Loxia.

5,6,7, Scolopax. 17, Ampelis.

8, Columba.

Birds that sing in the night are but few.

Nightingale, _Luscinia_. "In shadiest covert hid."

MILTON.

Woodlark, _Alauda arborea_. Suspended in mid air.

Less reed-sparrow, _Pa.s.ser arundinaceus Among reeds and willows.

minor_.

I should now proceed to such birds as continue to sing after Midsummer, but, as they are rather numerous, they would exceed the bounds of this paper: besides, as this is now the season for remarking on that subject, I am willing to repeat my observations on some birds concerning the continuation of whose song I seem at present to have some doubt.

I am, etc.

LETTER II.

SELBORNE, _Nov. 2nd_, 1769.

Dear Sir,--When I did myself the honour to write to you about the end of last June on the subject of natural history, I sent you a list of the summer birds of pa.s.sage which I have observed in this neighbourhood, and also a list of the winter birds of pa.s.sage: I mentioned besides those soft-billed birds that stay with us the winter through in the south of England, and those that are remarkable for singing in the night.

According to my proposal, I shall now proceed to such birds (singing birds strictly so called) as continue in full song till after Midsummer, and shall range them somewhat in the order in which they first begin to open as the spring advances.

RAII NOMINA.

1. Woodlark, _Alauda In January, and arborea_. continues to sing through all the summer and autumn.

2. Song thrush, _t.u.r.dus In February, and on simpliciter to August; dictus_. re-a.s.sume their song in autumn.

3. Wren, _Pa.s.ser All the year, hard troglodytes_. frost excepted.

4. Redbreast, _Rubecula_. Ditto.

5. Hedge-sparrow. _Curruca_. Early in February to July 10th.

6. Yellow-hammer, _Emberiza Early in February, flava_. and on through July to August 21st.

7. Skylark, _Alauda In February and on vulgaris_. to October.

8. Swallow, _Hirundo From April to domestica_. September.

9. Blackcap, _Atricapilla_. Beginning of April to July 13th.

10. t.i.tlark, _Alauda From middle of pratorum_. April to July 16th.

11. Blackbird, _Merula Sometimes in vulgaris_. February and March, and so on to July 23rd; re-a.s.sumes in autumn.

12. Whitethroat, _Ficedulae In April, and on to affinis_. July 23rd.

13. Goldfinch, _Carduelis_. April, and through to September 16th.

14. Greenfinch, _Chloris_. On to July and August 2nd.

15. Less _Pa.s.ser May, on to reed-sparrow. arundinaceus beginning of July.

minor_.

16. Common linnet, _Linaria Breeds and whistles vulgaris_. on till August; re-a.s.sumes its note when they begin to congregate in October, and again early before the flocks separate.

Birds that cease to be in full song, and are usually silent at or before Midsummer:--

RAII NOMINA.

17. Middle _Regulus non Middle of June; willow-wren, cristatus_. begins in April.

18. Redstart, _Ruticilla_. Ditto; begins in May.

19. Chaffinch, _Fringilla_. Beginning of June; sings first in April.

20. Nightingale, _Luscinia_. Middle of June; sings first in April.

Birds that sing for a short time, and very early in the spring:--

RAII NOMINA.

21. Missel-bird, _t.u.r.dus January 2nd, 1770, viscivorus_. in February. Is called Hamps.h.i.+re and Suss.e.x the storm-c.o.c.k, because its song is supposed to forebode windy wet weather: it is the largest singing bird we have.

22. Great _Fringillago_. In February, March, t.i.t-mouse, or April; re-a.s.sumes ox-eye. for a short time in September.

Birds that have somewhat of a note or song, and yet are hardly to be called singing birds:--

RAII NOMINA.

23. Golden-crowned _Regulus Its note as minute as wren, cristatus_. its person; frequents the tops of high oaks and firs; the smallest British bird.

24. Marsh t.i.t-mouse, _Parus pal.u.s.tris_. Haunts great woods; two harsh, sharp notes.