FIELDFARES MOOSE-DEER. 1 13 



is, because the curious muscle, that enables the crea- 

 ture 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 pilarisj, which, I think, is particular 

 enough : this bird, though it sits on trees in the day- 

 time, and procures the greatest part of its fcod 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 on 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, in 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. 



I have somewhat to inform you of concerning the 

 moose-deer ; but, in general, foreign animals fall sel- 

 dom in my way ; my little intelligence is confined to 

 the narrow sphere of my own observations at home. 



- 

 LETTER XXXII. 



TO THE SAME. 



SELBORNE, March, 1770. 

 ON Michaelmas- day, 1768, I managed to get a 



