1759 VISITS LONDON AND LYNDON 115 



Though neither of these events was the obstacle, 

 nevertheless his friend never saw Yorkshire. On 

 October 17th, 1759, he received the last payment 

 " in full " from Mr. Etty for serving Selborne cure ; 

 and in November he set out for his brother-in-law's 

 house at Lyndon, via London. Mr. Barker shared 

 with his brother-in-law a distinct taste for the obser- 

 vation and record of facts in natural history. A 

 MS. diary of his — now, through the kindness of a 

 cousin, the property of the present writer — contains, 

 l)esides observations in astronomy, notes on the 

 measurements of trees (including the great yew 

 tree in Selborne Churchyard), a record of the first 

 appearance and disappearance of migratory birds, 

 and the breaking into leaf and flowering of trees at 

 Lyndon for the series of years 1736-1801. This 

 diary is mentioned in the original letter to Pennant 

 of August 17th, 1768 (Letter XIX.), from Gilbert 

 White :— 



" Now I present you with a paper of remarks from Thomas 

 liarker Esq*" of Lyndon Hall in Eutland, a gent : who 

 married one of my Sisters. In it you will find, I think, 

 a curious register, kept by himself for 32 years, relative to 

 the coming and departure of birds of passage. If you find 

 anything in it, or among y® rest of the observations worthy 

 y"" notice, you are wellcome, he says, to make what use you 

 please of any of them." 



After leaving Eutland, Gilbert White returned 

 to London to stay there with his brother Thomas. 

 Eeturning to Selborne, he records the fact on 



