06 NATURAL HISTORY 



along the Sussex downs, wherever there were shrubs and 

 bushes, from Chichester to Lewes ; particularly in the autumn 

 of 1770. 



I am, &c. 



LETTER XXXIX. 



TO THE SAME. 



Selborne, Nov. 9, 1773. 

 DEAR Sin, 



As you desire me to send you such observations as may occur, 

 I take the liberty of making the following remarks, that you 

 may, according as you think me right or wrong, admit or re- 

 ject what I here advance, in your intended new edition of the 

 British Zoology. 



The osprey p was shot about a year ago at Frinsham-pond, a 

 great lake, at about six miles from hence, while it was sitting 

 on the handle of a plough and devouring a fish : it used to 

 precipitate itself into the water, and so take it's prey by sur- 

 prise. 



A great ash-coloured q butcher-bird was shot last winter in 

 Tisted-park, and a red-backed butcher-bird at Selborne : they 

 are rarce aves in this county. 



Crows r go in pairs the whole year round. 



Cornish choughs 8 abound, and breed on Beachy-head and 

 on all the cliffs of the Sussex coast. 



The common wild pigeon, 1 or stock-dove, is a bird of pas- 

 sage in the south of England, seldom appearing till towards 

 the end of November; is usually the latest winter bird of pas- 

 sage. Before our beechen woods were so much destroyed we 

 had myriads of them, reaching in strings for a mile together 

 as they went out in a morning to feed. They leave us early 

 in spring ; where do they breed * ? 



P British Zoology, vol. i. p. 128. p. 161. r p. 167, 



8 p. 198. t p> 2i 6 



* [There must be some confusion here of the two species, the ring- 



