XX11 PREFACE. 



due to Mrs. White, a niece of our author, and the 

 present representative of the family in Selborne, 

 and to her niece Miss Georgiana ; to both of whom 

 my brother was indebted during his residence in 

 the village for much kind assistance. By the latter 

 the remains of the old tortoise, so often mentioned 

 in the succeeding pages, were rescued from ob- 

 scurity, and an opportunity afforded of paying a 

 well-merited compliment to the memory of her 

 relative, by the dedication of it to his name, which 

 it is hoped will stand the test of future investiga- 

 tion. These remains, and the painting by Elmer 

 of the supposed hybrid pheasant, which has been 

 the subject of so much discussion, are almost the 

 only personal relics of Gilbert White that are now 

 preserved in his former habitation. 



From two other members of the family, resident 

 in the immediate neighbourhood, my brother also 

 met with much polite attention: the Rev. Edmund 

 White, Vicar of Newton- Valence, who is referred 

 to by his uncle in the following pages as "Mr. 

 White of Newton," which living he held for some 

 years previous to his uncle's death ; and the Rev. 

 Thomas Bissland, Rector of Hartley Maudytt, and 

 author of a Volume of Sermons lately published, 

 who is married to a grand-niece of our author, 

 and takes a great interest in every thing connected 

 with his name. 



Among the residents of Selborne to whom my 

 brother was particularly indebted, the Rev. W. R. 

 Cobbold, the present Vicar, is entitled to an espe- 

 cial acknowledgment for his kind and unwearied 

 attentions, as well as for the warm interest which 



