1772 MULSO EECTOE OF WITNEY 205 



now had a home only about seventeen miles south- 

 west of Selborne, on the Alton and Gosport road. 

 No preferment, other than those of his College, was 

 offered to the Curate of Faringdon ; and his friend, 

 regretting this, wrote on February 27th, 1772 (after 

 requesting good offices at an Oriel Fellowship 

 election) — 



" It is a sincere grief to me, that my perpetual desire of 

 serving you, and my efforts towards it, have had so little 

 success as to give me no claim to ask favours of this nature 

 of you. ... I hear nothing of West Meon, but that I 

 am not to have it. I do not ask, but I might be prevailed 

 on to take it. You are morally sure that / have not the 

 disposal of any of the Bishop's preferments." 



On January 13th, 1772, the following letter was 

 addressed to Pennant from Selborne, but not in- 

 cluded in those published : — 



Dear Sir, — I sent you by the return of the Alton waggon 

 last week such birds of my last cargoes as you had not 

 seen before : some of which, I think, will not displease you ; 

 and of others I shall beg your friendly information, not 

 being able to ascertain them, especially the larks, and the 

 motacillce. You will, I hope, also give me your opinion 

 of the last cargo ; and especially of the white-rumped bird 

 and the duck ; the former of which is, I trust, a turdus, 

 and a rare bird, and perhaps a nondescript ; and as to the 

 latter I should be pleased to know whether it be the red- 

 breasted shoveler of the Brit. Zool. or not. My present 

 cargo is as follows: — 



Phcenicopterus ruber Mas. 



Larus fidipes alter Willughcei : N. VI. ? 



Zanius collurio, pullus ? 



