78 STONE CURLEW. 



extraordinary provision of nature as a new instance 

 of the wisdom of God in the creation. 



As yet I have not quite done with my history of 

 the cidicnemus, or stone curlew; for I shall desire 

 a gentleman in Sussex (near whose house these 

 birds congregate in 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. 



LETTER XXI. 



TO THE SAME. 



SELBORNE, Nov. 28, 1768. 

 DEAR SIR, 



WITH regard to the cedicnemus, or stone curlew, 

 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 afterward to watch them most narrowly whether 

 they do not withdraw themselves during the dead 

 of the winter. When I have obtained informa- 

 tion with respect to this circumstance, I shall 

 have finished my history of the stone curlew, 

 which I hope will prove to your satisfaction, as it 

 will be, I trust, very near the truth. This gentle- 

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

 abroad early and late, will be a very proper spy 

 upon the motions of these birds ; and besides, as I 

 have prevailed on him to buy the Naturalist's 

 Journal, (with which he is much delighted,) I shall 



