To The Honourable Daines Barrington
Selborne, Nov. 2, 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 passage which I have observed in this neighbourhood; and also a list of the winter birds of passage; 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.
1. Woodlark, Raii nomina: Alauda arborea: In January, and continues to sing through all the summer and autumn.
2. Song-thrush, Turdus simpliciter dictus: In February and on to August, reassume their song in autumn.
3. Wren, Passer troglodytes: All the year, hard frost excepted.
4. Red-breast, Rubecula: Ditto.
5. Hedge-sparrow, Curruca: Early in February to July the 10th.