1767 FLOKA SELBOENIENSIS 151 



"Flora Selborniensis 



with some coincidences of 



the coming and departure of birds of passage 



and insects ; and the appearing of 



Keptiles 



for the year 1766." 



" The Plants are according to Mr. Ray's method ; and the 

 Birds according to Mr. Willughby's ornithology ; the Insects 

 according to Ray's * Hist. Insect ' ; and the Reptiles according 

 to Ray's * Synopsis Animalium Quadrupedum.' " 



The matter of this little work is, both as regards 

 the botany and zoology, of a much more elementary 

 character than was eventually attained to in 'The 

 Natural History of Selborne,' yet it is interesting 

 as showing the first idea of an 'Annus Historico- 

 Naturalis,' which afterwards took shape in its 

 author's mind. 



On April 13th, 1767, John Mulso became, by the 

 collation of the Bishop of Winchester, Vicar and 

 Rector of Witney, Oxfordshire. While congratu- 

 lating his friend that their communications would 

 now be more easy, he regrets his never having 

 seen Thornhill. The letter is signed "affectionately 

 yours (as the Bishop calls me) Witney John." 



This summer is remarkable for the commencement 

 of the correspondence with Pennant, the first letter 

 being dated August 10th, 1767.^ This letter, with 



* The date is given as August 4th in ' The Natural History of Selborne,' 

 for which this, with other letters, was transcribed. For some reason (or 

 perhaps for no reason) the dates of the original letters were changed in many 

 instances by their author when preparing them for publication. 



