[LETTER XXXIIIa 



SELBORNE : Jan : 12, 1771. 



DEAR SIR, This day my box with the whole of my 

 curiosities sets out by the waggon on its way to London ; 

 from whence it will be forwarded by my Bro r to Chester. 



You will be so kind as to examine the contents, & 

 to order y r artist to draw such as are worthy of y r notice ; 

 & to favour me with your opinion concerning the most 

 rare, & particularly the fishes, which need not be re- 

 turned. 



The reason that my Bro r sent only the head & the 

 feet of the vulture was, because he never had any other 

 part. The bird was found dead & floating in the sea ; 

 an accident it seems not very uncommon : some fisher- 

 men picked it up, & flayed it ; eat the carcase, & threw 

 away the skin, & gave him the head & feet. But as the 

 Governor has got a live bird of this sort, my Bro r will 

 take care to describe that minutely. 



Please to be particular about the partridges. My 

 last cargo of birds returned very safe from y r house. 



I thank you for the Portugal apiaster, which differs 

 somewhat from the Andalusian. 



It is no small discovery, I think, to find that our small 

 short-winged summer birds of passage are to be seen 

 spring & autumn on the very skirts of Europe : it is a 

 very strong presumptive proof of their migration. 



Your proof-sheet meets with my approbation. I 

 always was of opinion that the stile should be in some 

 measure adapted to the length of the composition, or 

 the subject in all cases : & therefore long flowing sentences 



