OF SELBORNE. 07 
Your account of the greater brambling, or snow. 
fleck, is very amusing ; and strange it is that such 
a short-winged bird should delight in such perilous 
voyages over the Northern Ocean! Some country 
people in the winter time have every now and then 
told me that they have seen two or three white 
larks on our downs; but, on considering the matter, 
I began to suspect that these are some stragglers of 
the birds we are talking of, which sometimes, per- 
haps, may rove so far to the southward. 
It pleases me to find that white hares are so fre- 
quent on the Scottish mountains, and especially as 
you inform me that it is a distinct species ; for the 
quadrupeds of Britain are so few that every new 
species is a great acquisition. 
The eagle-owl, could it be proved to belong to 
us, is so majestic a bird that it would grace our 
fauna much. 
You admit, I find, that I have proved your fen. 
salicaria to be the lesser reed-sparrow of Ray: and 
I think you may be secure that I am right; for I 
took very particular pains to clear up that matter, 
and had some fair specimens ; but, as they were 
not well preserved, they are decayed already. You 
will, no doubt, insert it in its proper place in your 
next edition. Your additional plates will much im- 
prove your work. 
De Buffon, I know, has described the water 
shrewmouse ; but still I am pleased to find you 
have discovered it in Lincolnshire, for the reason I 
have given in the article of the white hare. 
As a neighbour was lately ploughing in a dry 
chalky field, far removed from any water, he turned 
out a water-rat, that was curiously laid up in a 
