STONE CURLEW. 79 



the study of reptiles) that my people, every now and thcD 

 of late, draw up, with a bucket of water from my well, which 

 is sixty-three feet deep, a large black warty lizard, with a fin 

 tail and yellow belly. How they first came down at that 

 depth, and how they were ever to have got out thence with- 

 out help, is more than I am able to say. 



My thanks are due to you for your trouble and care in the 

 examination of a buck's head. As far as your discoveries 

 reach at present, they seem much to corroborate my sus- 

 picions ; and I hope Mr. may find reason to give his 



decision in my favour ; and then, I think, we may advance 

 this extraordhiary provision of nature as a new instance of 

 the ^^'isdom of Grod in the creation. 



As yet I have not quite done with my history of the csdi- 

 cnemus, or stone curlew ; for I shall desire a gentleman in 

 Sussex (near whose house these birds congregate iu 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. 



LETTEE XXI. 



TO THE SAME. 



Selborne, Nov. 28, 1768. 

 Deae Sie, — With regard to the cedicnemus, or stone cur- 

 lew, 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 afterwards to watch them most narrowly 

 whether they do not withdraw themselves during the dead 

 of the winter. When I have obtained information with 

 respect to this circumstance, I shall have finished my history 

 of the stone curlew, which, I hope, will prove to your satis- 

 faction, as it will be, I trust, very near the truth. This 

 gentleman, as he occupies a large farm of his own, and is 

 abroad early and late, will be a very proper spy upon the 



