NATURAL HISTORY OF SELBORNE 135 



as he does his sedge-bird ; for with all deference neither 

 of them have any relation to the chapter where they are 

 put : & in the next place he does not describe it well, for it 

 has not a stiff, wood-pecker-like tail ; neither are the thighs 

 remarkably strong, & muscular. 



You tender me Kramer in so obliging a manner, & give 

 so tempting a description of his Fauna, that I don't know 

 how to waive so pleasing an offer : & yet I should be sorry 

 to give you any trouble on that account. 



I will desire my Bro r to take the height of the rock 

 of Gibraltar : was it not stupendous, there could not 

 be such a resort & rendezvous of so many sorts of 

 wild & shy birds amidst such a concourse of people. In 

 an E : wind or levant the top is usually capped with 

 a fog. 



On Saturday night last I was gratifyed with y r pleasing 

 letter of Octob : 21. I mention this circumstance to 

 shew you that I lose no time in returning y r fine draw- 

 ings, as you desired they might not be detained. Your 

 Artist has done my birds a great deal of credit, as well 

 as himself; & I hope they will get safe back without 

 any injury. The Junco is finely expressed ; & the Quail 

 is, I think, as lovely a drawing as ever I saw. If I might 

 object at all to any part of the performance it should 

 be to the right wing of the Hirnndo, which perhaps is 

 rather stiff, & to the middle of the tail which seems too 

 round. For the tail, tho' not forked, is some what emargi- 

 nated, as Scopoli observes. The oval spots of the tail, 

 which are characteristic of this species, are well hit off. 

 The secondary wing-feathers are, you must observe, deeply 

 knotched. 



I rejoice in y r acquisition of N : American animals : & 

 am pleased to find that you persist in additions to y r Brit : 

 zoology illustrated. Such hints as occur on any of those 

 subjects shall be much at y r service. 



It gives me real pleasure to hear that the report concern- 

 ing M r - Banks is groundless. If there should be a rupture 

 with Spain my Bro r will be much circumscribed in his 



