CORRESPONDENCE WITH HIS FAMILY. 129 



night : our harvest is in a very bad way. When I arrived 

 last Friday evening I was surprized to find Mrs. H. Isaacs and 

 niece Becky at supper with my aunt. B. is grown beyond all 

 knowledge. Nep. Richard, who has left school, is here with me. 

 Mr. Shad well has left Stoneham Farm, which is raised from 

 250 to 400 pr ann. Thanks to Molly White for her agreeable 

 letter. On the Friday you mention my therm 1 " rose up to 79 

 wit Inn doors a pitch which I have scarce ever seen exceeded. 

 Wheat grows in the sheaf. You have the Stoparolce, I find ; 

 but say nothing of the white-throat, black-cap, Reguli non- 

 cristati 3 species, the redstart. Respects to all. 



Yours affect. 



GIL. WHITE. 



We have just weighed Timothy, who is encreased in weight 

 just one ounce and an half since last August. Stoparolce 

 come to Selborne May 20, depart about Sept. 7. 



LETTER XXIV. 



TO SAMUEL BARKER. 



Fyfield, Nov. 1, 1776. 

 DEAR SAM, 



JUST as I thought you had been master of the manners and 

 customs of the bank-martin, you write me word that you do 

 not know it when you see it. The case is, you did not begin 

 to look 'til the decline of summer, when all the Hirundines 

 cease to frequent their nesting-places. If you will pay some 

 attention to those holes in the spring, you will probably see 

 the owners busyed in the matter of nidification : besides they 

 are to be distinguished from their congeners by their small 

 size, their mouse-colour, and their wriggling desultory manner 

 of flying. Pray observe when they come first. 



The instance you give of the swiftness of an hawk was 

 somewhat extraordinary. But a very intelligent person 

 assured me that he once saw a more extraordinary instance of 

 command of wing in a daw, which is not very remarkable for 



VOL. II. K 



