aves her callow care, and cleaves the skies:
At first she flutters:--but at length she springs
To smoother flight, and shoots upon her wings."

I am, etc.

LETTERS TO THE HON. DAINESBARRINGTON.

LETTER I.

SELBORNE, _June 30th_, 1769.

Dear Sir,--When I was in town last month I partly engaged that I would
sometimes do myself the honour to write to you on the subject of natural
history; and I am the more ready to fulfil my promise, because I see you
are a gentleman of great candour, and one that will make allowances,
especially where the writer professes to be an out-door naturalist, one
that takes his observations from the subject itself, and not from the
writings of others.

THE FOLLOWING IS A LIST OF THE SUMMER BIRDS OF PASSAGE WHICH I HAVE
DISCOVERED IN THIS NEIGHBOURHOOD, RANGED SOMEWHAT IN THE ORDER IN WHICH
THEY APPEAR:--

RAII NOMINA. USUALLY APPEARS ABOUT
1. Wryneck. _Jynx_, _sive The middle of March:
Torquilla_. harsh note.
2. Smallest _Regulus non March 23rd: chirps till
willow-wren. cristatus_. September.
3. Swallow. _Hirundo April 13th.
domestica_.
4. Martin. _Hirundo rustica_. Ditto.
5. Sand-martin. _Hirundo riparia_. Ditto.
6. Blackcap. _Atricapilla_. Ditto: a sweet, wild
note.
7. Nightingale. _Luscinia_. Beginning of April.
8. Cuckoo. _Cuculus_. Middle of April.
9. Middle willow-wren. _Regulus non Ditto: a sweet,
cristatus_. plaintive note.
10. Whitethroat. _Ficedulae affinis_ Ditto: mean note; sings
on till September.
11. Redstart. _Ruticilla_. Ditto: more agreeable
song.
12. Stone-curlew. _OEdicnemus_ End of March: loud
nocturnal whistle.
13. Turtle-dove. _Turtur_.
14. Grasshopper