1793 TOEPIDITY OF SWALLOWS 269 



a draughts-man, a French Eefugee, to take two or three 

 views of this extraordinary tree on folio paper, with an 

 intent to have them engraved. Of this artist I have seen 

 some performances ; and think him capable of doing justice 

 to the subject. These views my Brother proposes to have 

 engraved, and will probably send a set to you, who deserve 

 so well of all lovers of trees, as you have made them so 

 much your study, and have taught men so much how to 

 cultivate and improve them. I have told you, I believe, 

 before, that the great Holt Oak has long been known in 

 these parts by the name of the grind-stone Oah^ because 

 an implement of that sort was in old days set up near 

 it, while a great fall of timber was felled in its neighbour- 

 hood. 



After a mild, wet winter we have experienced a very 

 harsh, backward spring with nothing but N. and N.E. 

 winds. All the Uirtmdines except the sand-martins were 

 very tardy; and do not seem even yet to make any 

 advances towards breeding. As to the sand-martins they 

 were seen playing in and out of their holes in a sand- cliff 

 as early as April 9th. Hence I am confirmed in what I 

 have long suspected, that they are the most early species. 

 I did not write the letter in the ' Gentleman's Magazine ' 

 against the torpidity of swallows: nor would it be con- 

 sistent with what I have sometimes asserted, so to do. As 

 to your recent proof of their torpidity in Yorkshire, I long 

 to see it. But as much writing is sometimes irksome, 

 cannot you call in occasionally some young person to be 

 your amanuensis ? 



There has been no such summer as this, so cold and 

 so dry, I can roundly assert, since the year 1765. We have 

 had no rain since the last week in April, and the first two 

 days in May. Hence our grass is short, and our spring-corn 

 languishes. Our wheat, which is not easily injured in 

 strong ground by drought, looks well. The hop-planters 



