235 NATURAL HISTORY 
twice in Great Britain. From all these relations, 
it plainly appears that these long-legged plovers 
are birds of South Europe, and rarely visit our 
island ; and when they do, are wanderers and strag- 
glers, and impelled to make so distant and northern 
an excursion from motives or accidents for which 
we are not able to account. One thing may fairly 
be deduced, that these birds come over to us from 
the Continent, since nobody can suppose that a 
species not noticed once in an age, and of such a 
remarkable make, can constantly be unobserved in 
this kingdom. 
LETTER XLVI. 
Selborne, April 21, 1780. 
Dear Str,—Tue old Sussex tortoise, that | have 
mentioned to you so often, is become my property. 
I dug it out of its winter dormitory in March last, 
when it was enough awakened to express its re- 
sentments by hissing; and, packing it in a box 
with earth, carried it eighty miles in post-chaises. 
The rattle and hurry of the journey so perfectly 
roused it, that when I turned it out on a border it 
walked twice down to the bottom of my garden; 
however, in the evening, the weather being cold, 
it buried itself in the loose mould, and continues 
still concealed. 
As it will be under my eye, I shall now have 
an opportunity of enlarging my observations on 
its mode of life and propensities ; and perceive al- 
ready, that towards the time of coming forth, it 
a 
et i ear, Ye 
