e, may happen to stand in the way, to conform to the obstruction, and pressed.

es instinct is perfectly uniform and e creatures, the squirrel, the fieldThe nut-hatch (sitta Europea), which nd yet they open them each in a difrasping off the small end, splits the fore-teeth, as a man does with his hole with his teeth, so regular as if vet so small that one would wonder cted through it; while the last picks ith its bill: but as this artist has no while he pierces it, like an adroit ere in a vice, in some cleft of a tree, standing over it, he perforates the often placed nuts in the chink of a have been known to haunt, and have irds have readily penetrated them. capping noise that may be heard at a

th the theory and practical part of

ect some men, as it were after a concert is over. What I mean most readily explain :

"Præhabebat porrò vocibus human monicis musicam illam avium: non que taretur; sed quod ex musicâ humana continens quædam, attentionemque agitatio; dum ascensus, exscensus, ten sonorum, et consonantiarum euntque, tasiam-cum nihil tale relinqui possit e quæ, quod non sunt perinde a nobis perinde internam facultatem commovere This curious quotation strikes me muc Gassend my own case, and by describing what I never could so well express. When haunted with passages therefrom night at first waking, which, by their importu easiness than pleasure: elegant lessons st and recur irresistibly to my recollection when I am desirous of thinking of more

LETTER LVII. TO THE HON. DAI

ARARE, and I think a new, little bird which I have great reason to think is th mon in some parts of the kingdom; a merly several dead specimens from Gibra resembles the white-throat, but has a m Very breast and belly; is restless and a mens, and hops from bough to bough for food; it also runs up the stems of th putting its head into the bells of those which stands in the nectarium of each peta on the ground like the hedge-sparrow, b Pass-plots and mown walks.*

This is the white-breasted fauvet, or, as some term it pala), a species common enough in the southern counties, t

over

ain :

What I mean the following passage will

porrò vocibus humanis, instrumentisque harillam avium: non quod aliâ quoque non delecod ex musicâ humanâ relinqueretur in animo am, attentionemque et somnum conturbans census, exscensus, tenores, ac mutationes illæ ■sonantiarum euntque, redeuntque per phannil tale relinqui possit ex modulationibus avium, sunt perinde a nobis imitabiles, non possunt facultatem commovere."

Gassendus in Vitá Peireskii.

Lotation strikes me much by so well representing by describing what I have so often felt, but vell express. When I hear fine music I am ages therefrom night and day; and especially nich, by their importunity, give me more unsure: elegant lessons still tease my imagination, ibly to my recollection at seasons, and even as of thinking of more serious matters. I am, &c.

TO THE HON. DAINES BARRINGTON.

ink a new, little bird frequents my garden, reason to think is the pettichaps: it is comis of the kingdom; and I have received forspecimens from Gibraltar. This bird much te-throat, but has a more white or rather silelly; is restless and active, like the willowrom bough to bough, examining every part ns up the stems of the crown-imperials, and, to the bells of those flowers, sips the liquor nectarium of each petal. Sometimes it feeds the hedge-sparrow, by hopping about on the

ng,

of house-swallows, thirty at least willow that hung over the verge of His attention was first drawn by the which sat motionless in a row on the one way, and, by their weight, press it nearly touched the water. In this till he could see no longer. Repea spring and fall, induce us greatly to s have some strong attachment to water of food; and, though they may not re they may conceal themselves in the during the uncomfortable months of w One of the keepers of Wolmer-fo

veen which it is in some degree intermediate, though
man either. It is an elegant little bird, arriving generally
and departing in September, though a few stragglers are
s. This species has most erroneously been described to
hereas it passes its time chiefly upon trees, often at a
I is nowhere found but in their immediate vicinity. It is
-ing its abundance, and also the familiarity of its habits,
resembling those of its musical congener the blackcap.
tage gardens, and indeed everywhere affects gardens and
mental shrubs close to the house. It is also plentiful
it is never found (like the whitethroat) in open and ex-
ing into the air (like that species), though its notes may
a vacillating manner, from tree to tree. Its song is very
sed by the frequent recurrence of a note like sip, sip, sip;
ously for a few seconds, it always terminates with a loud
Conous and unpleasing, though analogous to the lively
tly it emits this cry without any previous warble, and it
and sometimes also a peculiar inward rolling note, which
artford warbler, to which species it is allied (and immedi-
ngener), and which at least in confinement it consider-
ese little birds sometimes climbing up the wires of their
In the other fauvets. An individual I formerly kept in
dingly active in its habits, sometimes darting about so
; and it used frequently, and many times in succession,
throwing itself over backwards, a habit which I have
In a captive state. It is a determined fruit-eater in the
the blackcap, and in the spring is very expert in the
er leaves its perch in order to seize them, but snaps at
It also feeds a good deal, like the pettychaps genus,
a great destroyer of aphides. It also resembles them in
which I have observed, not only in confinement, but in
ach differs from its British congeners. The male and
me of the older individuals have the irides of a beautiful
s much to the handsomeness of their appearance; many
er parts, which is likewise frequently observable in the
chan that of the last-mentioned species, and is always
or five in number, are also of less size than those of that
, and larger.

this pretty little species, because I have never yet met
agined it to have been the "pettychaps," by which term
which was so named by the earlier naturalists. That
ald have entirely escaped his observation, I look upon as
Ily abounds in Selborne parish, and is one of the very
Dably confused its lay with that of the blackcap. It is
d, so much so that an albino of either could scarcely be
readily told by its more uniform olive colour, and the
ust-colour) upon the crown. The sexes are very much
who may wish to keep one in confinement, I may state
eive between them, consisted in the more rufous tint of
bird. Its melody resembles somewhat the continuous
deeper, and more flute-like in its tone, approaching to
As it proceeds, it increases gradually in spirit and loud-
et melodious flourish, though never so clear and loud as
ener the blackcap. I have noticed it to sing with great
ot to be outdone; and indeed the peculiar sweetness of
ite with those who love to listen to the wild music of the
those of the blackcap, which it also resembles in ite

falcon, which he shot on the verge of t vouring a wood-pigeon. The falco pereg is a noble species of hawk seldom seem winter 1767 one was killed in the Paringdon, and sent by me to Mr. Pen Since that time I have met with none t mentioned above was in fine preservat

dification; but differs in being one of the latest to arrive Whence probably it is, generally speaking, so little known. begianing of May, but does not, as has been said, depart ear a grayer tinge than those of the blackcap.-En. *See my tenth and eleventh letter to that gentleman.

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ws, thirty at least he supposes, perching on a g over the verge of James Knight's upper-pond. as first drawn by the twittering of these birds, nless in a row on the bough, with their heads all y their weight, pressing down the twig so that d the water. In this situation he watched them e no longer. Repeated accounts of this sort, Induce us greatly to suspect that house-swallows g attachment to water, independent of the matter ough they may not retire into that element, yet 1 themselves in the banks of pools and rivers mfortable months of winter.

eepers of Wolmer-forest sent me a peregrine

hot on the verge of that district as it was degeon. The falco peregrinus, or haggard falcon, of hawk seldom seem in the southern counties. ne was killed in the neighbouring parish of ent by me to Mr. Pennant into North Wales.* have met with none till now. The specimen was in fine preservation, and not injured by

being one of the latest to arrive of all our summer birds of passage, rally speaking, so little known. It is seldom heard much before the not, as has been said, depart earlier than its congeners. Its eggs ar of the blackcap.-En. th letter to that gentleman.

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; species is very robust, and wonder; breast was plump and muscular; its wny; and its legs remarkably short e armed with most formidable, sharp, ad cere of the bill were yellow; but ; the beak was thick and hooked, and a jagged process near the end of the le: its tail, or train, was short in proody: yet the wings, when closed, did e train. From its large and fair prosed to have been a female; but I was the specimen. For one of the birds of n, this was in high case: in its craw hich probably came from the crop of 1 it was feeding when shot: for voran; but, when devouring their quarry, hemence swallow bones and feathers, minately. This falcon was probably of North Wales or Scotland, where they igorous weather and deep snows that I am, &c

HE HON. DAINES BARRINGTON.

bitch has a dew-claw on each hir same colour, a When taken out into a field the bi for hunting, and dwelt on the scen she sprung them, giving her tongue South America are dumb; but these manner, like foxes; and have a su their ancestors, which are not domest where they are fed for the table with ceous food These dogs, having been weaned, could not learn much from t relish flesh when they came to Englan pacific ocean the dogs are bred up on eat flesh when offered them by our cir We believe that all dogs, in a sta upright, fox-like ears; and that hangin 80 graceful, are the effect of choice Thus, in the travels of Ysbrandt Ides the dogs which draw the Tartars on sr Oby are engraved with prick-ears, like Kamschatdales also train the same sor nosed dogs to draw their sledges; as I print engraved for Captain Cook's last Now we are upon the subject of do tinent to add, that spaniels, as all sports Junt partridges and pheasants as it w much delight and alacrity, yet will k when offered as food; nor will a mongr he is remarkable for finding that sort ( came to offer the bones of partridges t they devoured them with much greedine

Dung gentleman in the service of the = brought home a dog and a bitch of Canton; such as are fattened in that f being eaten: they are about the size of a pale yellow colour, with coarse backs; sharp upright ears, and peaked ■ very fox-like appearance. Their hind ht, without any bend at the hock or to give them an awkward gait when

in motion their tails are curved high ose of some hounds, and have a bare e from the tip midway, that does not cident, but somewhat singular. Their and piercing; the insides of their lips

clean.

No sporting dogs will flush woodcock
and trained to the sport, which they ther
and transport; but then they will not to
from them with abhorrence, even when
Now, that dogs should not be fond of
as they are not disposed to hunt is no
reject and do not care to eat their natur
accounted for, since the end of hunting

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