OF SELBORNE. 159 
but the brute creation, I suppose, have very little 
idea of size, colour, or number. For the common 
hen, I know, when the fury of incubation is on her, 
will sit on a single shapeless stone instead of a nest 
full of eggs that have been withdrawn ; and, more- 
over, a hen turkey, in the same circumstances, 
would sit on, in the empty nest, till she perished 
with hunger. 
I think the matter might easily be determined 
whether a cuckoo lays one or two eggs, or more, 
in a season. 
Your supposition that there may be some natural 
obstruction in singing-birds while they are mute, 
and that, when this is removed, the song recom. 
mences, is new and bold. I wish you could dis- 
cover some good grounds for this suspicion. 
I was glad you were pleased with my specimen 
of the caprimu/gus, or fern-owl; you were, I find, 
acquainted with the bird before. 
When we meet, I shall be glad to have some con- 
versation with you concerning the proposal you 
make of my drawing up an account of the animals 
of this neighbourhood. Your partiality towards 
my small inabilites persuades you, I fear, that Iam 
able to do more than is in my power ; for it is no 
smal! undertaking for a man unsupported and alone 
to begin a natural history from his own autopsia! 
Though there is endless room for observation in the 
field of nature, which is boundless, yet investigation 
(where 2 man endeavours to be sure of his facts) 
can make but slow progress ; and all that one could 
collect in many years would go into a very narrow 
compass. 
Some extracts from your ingenious “ Investiga- 
