20 GILBERT WHITE OF SELBORNE 1777 



besides young people of your own turn, when they know 

 you a little, will naturally make some advances. 



All the house-martins withdrew about the 7th of Oct., 

 and seemed gone to a bird 'til Novr. 4th, when 21 were seen 

 playing about under the hanger all day, and for that day 

 only. This circumstance seems the more odd, and amusing 

 to me, because I have known it befal more than once or 

 twice. Where were they during the interval? and where 

 are they now ? This event militates strongly in favour of 

 hiding, and against migration. The bats do just the same 

 all the winter and spring : they sleep at intervals ; and then 

 come forth and feed, and retire again. 



The Order of Polygamia frustranea is constituted, you 

 know, from having the florets of the disk hermaphrodite 

 and those of the radius neuter. Not knowing where to 

 apply for a common knap-weed in bloom, I know not how 

 to solve your difficulty. The district round Cambridge will 

 furnish you in the summer with the great aquatics. When 

 you are a little at leisure I shall always be glad to hear 

 from you. 



Don't fail to practise frequently in writing English. 

 I am your affect*® friend, 



Gil. White. 



In the previous month of October, 1777, the pur- 

 chase of the "farm late John Well's," as he called it, 

 was completed by Gilbert White. The money for 

 its purchase was advanced by his brother Thomas, 

 whose tenant he accordingly became at an annual 

 rent. 



On November 30th, 1777, Mulso writes : — 



" I wish you joy of your purchases, of your buildings, and 

 of the advances of Selbourne towards perfection. I feel a 

 partiality for that place, from its being such a favourite 



