CHAPTER XII. 



To the Rev. John White. 



[With a copy of verses by S. Barker.] 



Selborne, Sept. 26th, 1774. 



Dear Brother, — Some years ago, when I met Sam Barker 

 at Eingmer, I found he had some propensity to poetry, 

 though it had not then been called forth. I therefore then 

 gave him a few instructions; and this summer sent him 

 some old verses on Selborne new furbished up.* These 

 small encouragements have occasioned the lines above, 

 which Jack transcribes for your amusement. By all means 

 recollect the specific diflPerence, or else get new specimens 

 of the Sphex formicarum falco ; for it is a great pity that so 

 diverting an account as that which you give of that insect 

 should be lost to your Fauna. 



You must be sure to caution Linn, that the CEJstrus 

 curvicauda is by no means the parent of the Star-tailed 

 water -maggot, tho* Derham says it is. Swammerdam, 

 GeofFroy, and others have since discovered that wonderful 

 maggot to be the offspring of a Musca hydroleon. See 

 Geoffrey — he calls it Stratiomys. You will be the means, 

 I perceive, of correcting many mistakes, and new arranging 

 many misplaced articles in *Syst. Nat.' which I wish to 



* The ' Invitation to Selborne,' which was several times altered and 

 rewritten for various friends. 



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