196 GILBEET WHITE OF SELBOENE 1771 



acknowledge it to be the Sphex hidens Linn. I am sending 

 all your insects to nephew Ben. White in town, and shall 

 get Mr. Lee, the botanist of Hammersmith, to inspect and 

 ascertain them, because he is the best Entomologist that 

 I know. The reason that Linn, mentions so many Insects 

 from Barbary is, because Mr. Brander, the Swedish Consul 

 at Algiers, sent him vast collections. In the little box 

 which you sent me with a sliding lid are two species of 

 Myrmeleones. Geoffroy seems to have a good cut of one. 

 You will now be able to measure the rain of your climate : 

 the mean quantity per ann. in Eutland is 20f inches. Learn 

 as much as possible the manners of animals, they are worth 

 a ream of descriptions. You must produce some ingenious 

 dissertations to entertain the unsystematic reader. What 

 do the Panorpoe com do with their long remiform wings? 

 Frequent your markets, and see what birds are offered to 

 sale. Get some account of the prickly heat, or fever, and 

 the exact height of your mountain. It seems to me no 

 doubt but that your Motacilla N° 5 is the Junco of Eay : but 

 he does not seem to be so exact as usual, and talks of a stiff 

 tail, and omits mentioning the white and black bars at the 

 end of its tail. It will be worth our while to find out 

 Mr. Moore, the botanist, or his representatives ; and to 

 endeavour to procure his flora of your district. Eay does 

 not take notice that the thighs of the Merops are naked. 



I had written thus far when your curious box of birds 

 shipped in Ocf and Jack's shirts and sweetmeats arrived : 

 the insects were left in town for the reason above-mentioned. 

 Your kind letter of Dec"^ 9 came the same day. Geoffroy, no 

 doubt, is too verbose, so are all his country men. Mr. 

 Pennant makes sad complaint of Gouan's book of fishes, and 

 of the obscurity of the Labrus and Sparus genera. D*" Shaw's 

 Natural part of his travels * is said to be good. You will 



* 'Travels in Barbary,' etc. — A. N. 



