VI INTRODUCTION. 



Hon. Daines Barrington, and several distin- 

 guished contemporary naturalists, with whom 

 Mr. White was in frequent correspondence ; 

 and who soon perceived that his abilities, as a 

 careful observer of nature, might be advan- 

 tageously employed in researches connected 

 with the productions of his native parish. The ) 

 work consists of a series of Letters addressed ] 

 to these gentlemen, written in a clear and 

 elegant, yet somewhat popular, style ; contain- 

 ing very varied information upon most subjects 

 connected with the Natural History of the age, 

 and is rather the description of an extensive 

 district than of a particular spot or village. 



The present work was originally printed 

 in 1789, four years previous to the Author's 

 decease, in a quarto volume, containing besides 

 an Account of the Antiquities of Selborne. 

 Copies of the work becoming scarce and 

 expensive, a reprint was thought necessary, 

 and accordingly it again appeared in 1802, in 

 two volumes, octavo, chiefly under the super- 

 intendence of Dr. Aikin, and some of Mr. 

 White's friends. It was again reprinted in 

 1825. In the latter editions it was thought 



