228 NATURAL HISTORY OF SELBORNE. 



awkward metaphor, implies that the legs are as slender and pliant 

 as if cut out of a thong of leather. Neither Willughby nor Ray, 

 in all their curious researches, either at home or abroad, ever 

 saw this bird. Mr. Pennant never met with it in all Great 

 Britain, but observed it often in the cabinets of the curious at 

 Paris. Hasselquist says that it migrates to Egypt in the autumn: 

 and a most accurate observer of nature has assured me that he 

 has found it on the banks of the streams in Andalusia. 



Our writers record it to have been found only twice in Great 

 Britain. From all these relations it plainly appears that these 

 long legged plovers are birds of South Europe, and rarely visit 

 our island ; and when they do are wanderers and stragglers, and 

 impelled to make so distant and northern an excursion from 

 motives or accidents for which we are not able to account. One 

 thing may fairly be deduced, that these birds come over to us 

 from the continent, since nobody can suppose that a species not 

 noticed once in an age, and of such a remarkable make, can 

 constantly breed unobserved in this kingdom. 



LETTER L. To THE HON. DAINES BARRINGTON. 



DEAR SIR, Selborne, April 21, 1780. 



THE old Sussex tortoise, that I have mentioned to you so often, 

 is become my property. I dug it out of its winter dormitory 

 in March last, when it was enough awakened to express its 

 resentments by hissing ; and, packing it in a box with earth, 

 carried it eighty miles in post-chaises. The rattle and hurry of 

 the journey so perfectly roused it that, when I turned it out on 

 a border, it walked twice down tp the bottom of my garden ; 

 however, in the evening, the weather being cold, it buried itself 

 in the loose mould, and continues still concealed. 



As it will be under my eye, I shall now have an opportunity 

 of enlarging my observations on its mode of life, and propen- 

 sities ; and perceive, already that, towards the time of coming 

 forth, it opens a breathing place in the ground near its head, 

 requiring, I conclude, a freer respiration as it becomes more 

 alive. This creature not only goes under the earth from the 

 middle of November to the middle of April, but sleeps great part 

 of the summer ; for it goes to bed in the longest days at four in 

 the afternoon, and often* does not stir in the morning till late. 



