80 NATURAL HISTORY 
a gentleman in Sussex (near whose house these 
birds congregate in vast flocks in the autumn) to 
observe nicely when they leave him (if they do 
leave him), and when they return again in the 
spring: I was with this gentleman lately, and saw 
several single birds. 
LETTER XXiI. 
Selborne, Nov. 28, 1768. 
Dear Sir,—WiruH regard to the edicnemus, or 
stone curlew, I intend to write very soon to my 
friend near Chichester, in whose neighbourhood 
these birds seem most to abound; and shall urge 
him to take particular notice when they begin to 
congregate, and afterward to watch them most 
narrowly whether they do not withdraw themselves 
during the dead of the winter. When I have ob- . 
tained information with respect to this circumstance, 
I shall have finished my history of the stone curlew, 
which I hope will prove to your satisfaction, as it 
will be, I trust, very near the truth. This gentle- 
man, as he occupies a large farm of his own, and is 
abroad early and late, will be a very proper spy 
upon the motions of these birds ; and, besides, as 
I have prevailed on him to buy the Naturalist’s 
Journal (with which he is much delighted), I shall 
expect that he will be very exact in his dates. It 
is very extraordinary, as you observe, that a bird 
so common with us should never straggle to you. 
And here will be the properest place to men- 
tion, while I think of it, an anecdote which the 
