124 RKMARKABLE INSTINCT 



In its colour, in the iize and form of its ear^, 6cc. it 

 makes a nearer approach to the Mus longlpes of Pallas 

 than the Dipus Americanus does. It is thus defcribed 

 by Mr. Peck, in a letter to me. " Mus Cauda elongata 

 pilofa, palmis fubpentadaftylis, difco fufcefcente, lateri- 

 bus rufefcentibus, abdomine albo j pedibus pofticis longi- 

 tudine corporis." A farther account of this and of the 

 other fpecies of Dipus, which I have difcovered, I fliall, 

 probably, communicate to the Philofophical Society, at 

 feme future period. 



K". XIII. 



A Letter from Mr. John Heckewelder, to Dr. Baic- 

 TON, giving fame account of the re7narkabk ivJlinB oj a 

 bird called the 'Nine-Killer. 



Bethlehem, December i8th 1795. 

 Read April "f" "T A VING an opportunity by a friend of 

 1, 1796. \~\_ mine to Philadelphia, I muft mention to 

 you a curious fadl, that came to my knowledge but 

 yefterday. 



I went to a farm, about eleven miles and a half from 

 this place, to view a young orchard, which had been 

 planted, about five weeks ago, under my dire£lion, where 

 on viewing the trees, 1 found, to my great aftonifliment, 

 almoft on every one of them, one and on fome two and 

 three grafshoppers, ftuck down on the fliarp thorny 

 branches, which were not pruned when the trees were 

 planted. I immediately called the tenant, and afked 

 the reafon and his opinion of this. He was much fur- 

 prifed at my ignorance about the matter, and informed 

 rre, " th t thefe gralshop; ers were fluck up by a fm ill 

 bird of prey, which the Germans called Neun-toedter {\n 



En2;lifh 



