1773 BULFINCH CHANGING COLOUR 225 



I have some hopes of seeing Skinner soon. Mrs. Isaac, 



Niece Molly White who came with her, and Jack join in 



respects. 



Y' affect. Brother, 



Gil. White. 



To Thomas Barker. 



Selborne, Sepr. 14, 1773. 



Dear Sir, — I can readily give you credit for the change of 

 colour that befell the bulfinch ; because when I first under- 

 took the church of Faringdon, the person where I used 

 to dine on a Sunday caught a cock bulfinch in the fields 

 after it had arrived at its full colours. In about a twelve 

 month it began to grow dingy, and losing by degrees its gay 

 apparel, it became leisurely, in I think about three years, as 

 black or blacker than a blackbird, all save some of its wing 

 feathers, which continued white, at least in part. This bird 

 remained in this mourning garb to the day of its death ; and 

 lived, I perfectly remember, altogether on hemp-seed; a 

 kind of food which, I have heard before, has a tendency 

 to blacken those birds that live altogether upon it. The 

 owner of the bulfinch had at the same time a skylark which 

 was supported altogether in the same manner, and became 

 very dusky, but not black. 



Be pleased to remember that though I happened to have 

 seen a similar case, yet I look upon the phsenomenon as 

 odd and extraordinary; and am much obliged to you for 

 your information, and shall be for the future for any curious 

 anecdote that falls in your way. 



From the 9th of August to the 14th inclusive the heat 

 was very severe night and day; and on the 13th in the 

 evening arose from the S. that great tempest of thunder 

 and lightening which did so much damage in and about 

 London. The rain attending that storm was of signal service 

 to the hops, which before began to languish. But in the 

 night between the 18th and 19th of August such a wind 



VOL. I. — Q 



