54 NATURAL HISTORY OF SELBORNE 



weighs, I find, one ounce lumping weight, which is more 

 than six times as much as the mouse above ; and measures 

 from nose to rump four inches and a quarter, and the same 

 in its tail. We have had a very severe frost and deep 

 snow this month. My thermometer was one day four- 

 teen degrees and a half below the freezing-point, within 

 doors. The tender evergreens were injured pretty much. 

 It was very providential that the air was still, and the 

 ground well covered with snow, else vegetation in general 

 must have suffered prodigiously. There is reason to 

 believe that some days were more severe than any since 

 the year I739-4O. 1 



[Your friend Mr. Barrington (to whom I am an entire 

 stranger) has been so obliging as to make me a present of 

 one of his Naturalist's Journals, which I hope to fill in the 

 course of the year. Hoping you will excuse the unreason- 

 able length of this letter 



I conclude with great regard, 



Y r obedient servant 



GIL : WHITE. 



SELBORNE, Jan. 22, 1768. 



P.S. I have just ascertained the Nut-hatch, sitta : it 

 is not a common bird with us. This last frost brought us 

 no new fowls.] 



1 See Letters LXI, LXII to Barrington. [R. B. S.] 



