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XVIII. Observations on some Species of British Quadrupeds, Birds, 
and Fishes. By George Montagu, Esq. F.L.S. 
Read December 20, 1803. 
loa society founded on so liberal a basis as the Linnean Society 
there needs no introduction to the miscellaneous writings of an 
individual, whose object can only be the diffusion of knowledge 
on partial subjects of natural history. 
"With this view I beg leave to lay before the Society the fol- 
lowing observations on a few species of British birds whose his- 
tory appears to be imperfectly known; together with a few addi- 
tional remarks on two of our smallest quadrupeds; and a descrip- 
tion of a beautiful fish, the Cepola rubescens, hitherto, I believe, 
not noticed on our coast ; and of two other rare species. 
Harvest Mouse. 
Mus Messorius. Shaw ZooL ii. p. 62. Jig. vignette. 
Mus minutus. Gmel. Syst. p. 130. 8. ? 
Harvest Mouse. Br. Zool. i. p. 107. 
Pennant Quadr. ii. p. 384. 
White Selb. p. 33. 39. 
This elegant little species of mouse, first noticed by Mr. White 
as inhabiting the corn-fields and ricks about Selborn, and, 
through his communication, first made public by Mr. Pennant 
as indigenous to England, is by no means confined to Hamp- 
shire; for we well remember it was common in the more cham- 
paign parts of Wiltshire in our younger days, and previous to the 
discovery 
