OF SELBORNE. 87 
The vast rain ceased with us much about the 
same time as with you, and since we have had del- 
icate weather. Mr. Barker, who has measured 
the rain for more than thirty years, says in a late 
letter that more rain has fallen this year than in 
any he ever attended to; though from July, 1763, 
to January, 1764, more fell than in any seven 
months of this year. 
LETTER XXIII. 
Selborne, Feb. 2, 1769. 
Dear Sir,—It is not improbable that the Guern- 
sey lizard and our green lizards may be specifical- 
ly the same ; all that I know is, that when, some 
years ago, many Guernsey lizards were turned 
loose in Pembroke College garden, in the Universi- 
ty of Oxford, they lived a great while, and seemed 
to enjoy themselves very well, but never increased. 
J return you thanks for your account of Cressi 
Hall; but recollect, not without regret, that in June, 
1746, I was visiting for a week together at Spal- 
ding, without ever being told that such a curiosity 
was just at hand. Pray send me word in your 
next what sort of tree it is that contains such a 
quantity of herons’ nests, and whether the heronry 
consists of a whole grove or wood, or only of a 
few trees. 
It gave me satisfaction to find we accorded so 
well about the caprimulgus ; all I contended for 
was to prove that it often chatters sitting as well as 
flying, and therefore the noise was voluntary and 
