AND ROBERT MABSHAM. 273 



grotesque appearance at the entrance of the avenue, & found 

 the largest 21 feet in girth at five feet from the ground. The 

 largest Sycamore in my friend's court measures 13 feet. His 

 edible chestnuts grow amazingly, but make (for some have 

 been felled) vile shaky, cupshaky timber. I think the oak 

 on sands is shaky, as it is also on our rocks, as I know by sad 

 experience the last time I built. The indented oaken leaf 

 which you gather'd between Rome & Naples was the quercus 

 cerris of LinnaBus. The yellow oak which you saw in Sussex 

 escaped my notice. 



Richard Muliman Trench Chiswell Esq. of Portland Place, 

 & M.P. tells a friend of mine in town that he has an Elm 

 in Essex for which he has been bid 100. It is long enough, 

 he says, to make a keel ungrafted for a man-of-war of the 

 largest dimensions. As he expressed a desire of correspond- 

 ing with me, I have written to him, & desired some particu- 

 lars respecting this amazing tree. 



You seem to wonder that Mr. Willughby should not be 

 aware that the Fern-owl is a summer bird of passage. But 

 you must remember that those excellent men, Willugliby & 

 ./'"//, wrote when the ornithology of England, & indeed the 

 Nat: History was quite in it's infancy. But their efforts were 

 prodigious ; & indeed they were the Fathers of that delight- 

 ful study in this kingdom. I have thoughts of sending a paper 

 to the R. S. respecting the fern-owl ; & seem to think that I 

 can advance some particulars concerning that peculiar, mi- 

 gratory, nocturnal bird, that have never been noticed before. 

 The rain of Octo r last was great, but of Nov r still more. The 

 former month produced 6 in. 49 hund. but the latter upwards 

 of 8 in.: five & J of which fell in one week, viz. from Nov. 

 18th to the 19th both inclusive! You will, I hope, pardon my 

 neglect, & write soon. 0, that I had known you forty years ago ! 

 I remain, with great esteem, 



Y r most humble servant, 



GIL. WHITE. 



VOL. II. 



