of Selborne 53 



southern counties. The ousel is larger than a blackbird, 

 and feeds on haws ; but last autumn (when there were 

 no haws) it fed on yew-berries : in the spring it feeds on 

 ivy-berries, which ripen only at that season, in March and 

 April. 



I must not omit to tell you (as you have been so lately 

 on the study of reptiles) that my people, every now and 

 then of late, draw up with a bucket of water from my 

 well, which is 6^ feet deep, a large black warty lizard 

 with a fin-tail and yellow belly. How they first came 

 down at that depth, and how they were ever to have got 

 out thence without help, is more than I am able to say. 



My thanks are due to you for your trouble and care in 

 the examination of a buck's head. As far as your dis- 

 coveries reach at present, they seem much to corroborate 



my suspicions ; and I hope Mr. may find reason to 



give his decision in my favour ; and then, I think, we 

 may advance this extraordinary provision of nature as a 

 new instance of the wisdom of God in the creation. 



As yet I have not quite done with my history of the 

 oedknemus^ or stone curlew ; for I shall desire a gentleman 

 in Sussex (near whose house these birds congregate in 

 vast flocks in the autumn) to observe nicely when they 

 leave him (if they do leave him), and when they return 

 again in the spring ; I was with this gentleman lately, and 

 saw several single birds. 



LETTER XXI 



TO THOMAS PENNANT, ESQUIRE 



Selborne, Nov. 28, 1768. 



Dear Sir, 

 With regard to the oedicnemus^ or stone curlew, I intend 

 to write very soon to my friend near Chichester, in whose 

 neighbourhood these birds seem most to abound ; and 

 shall urge him to take particular notice when they begin 

 to congregate, and afterwards to watch them most 

 narrowly whether they do not withdraw themselves during 



