110 FIELDrAEES — MOOSE-DEEE, 



to be discernible in the old ones. They can, in part, at tbia 

 age, draw their skin down over their faces ; but are not able 

 to contract themselves into a ball, as they do, for the sake of 

 defence, when full grown. The reason, I suppose, is, because 

 the curious muscle, that enables the creature to roll itself up 

 in a ball, was not then arrived at its full tone and firmness. 

 Hedge-hogs make a deep and warm hybernaculum with 

 leaves and moss, in which they conceal themselves for the 

 winter; but I never could find that they stored in any 

 winter provision, as some quadrupeds certainly do. 



I have discovered an anecdote with respect to the fieldfare 

 (turdus pilaris), which, I think, is particular enough: this 

 bird, though it sits on trees in the day-time, and procures 

 the greatest part of its food from white-thorn hedges ; yea, 

 moreover, builds on very high trees, as may be seen by the 

 fauna suecica ; yet always appears with us to roost on the 

 ground. They are seen to come in flocks just before it is 

 dark, and to settle and nestle among the heath in our forest. 

 And besides, the larkers, in dragging their nets by night, 

 frequently catch them in the wheat-stubbles ; while the bat 

 fowlers, who take many red-wings in the hedges, never 

 entangle any of this species. "Why these birds, iii the 

 matter of roosting, should differ from all their congeners, and 

 from themselves, also, with respect to their proceedings by 

 day, is a fact for which I am by no means able to account. 



1 have somewhat to inform you of concerning the moose- 

 deer; but, in general, foreign animals fall seldom in my 

 way ; my little intelligence is confined to the narrow sphere 

 of my own observations at home. 



LETTEE, XXXII. 



TO THE SAME. 



Selborne, March, 1770. 

 0>' Michaelmas-day, 1768, I managed to get a sight of the 

 female moose belonging to the Duke of Eichmond, at Good- 

 wood ; but was greatly disappointed, when I arrived at the 

 spot, to find that it had died, after having appeared in a 

 languishing way for some time, on the morning before. 



