44 HARVEST MOUSE. 



I have no acquaintance at present antong the 

 gentlemen of the navy, but have written to a 

 friend, who was a sea-chaplain in the late war, 

 desiring him to look into his minutes, with respect 

 to birds that settled on their rigging during their 

 voyage up or down the Channel. What Hassel- 

 quist says on that subject is remarkable ; there 

 were little short-winged birds frequently coming 

 on board his ship all the way from our Channel 

 quite up to the Levant, especially before squally 

 weather. 



What you suggest with regard to Spain is 

 highly probable. The winters of Andalusia are so 

 mild, that, in all likelihood, the soft-billed birds 

 that leave us at that season may find insects 

 sufficient to support them there. 



Some young man, possessed of fortune, health, 

 and leisure, should make an autumnal voyage 

 into that kingdom, and should spend a year there, 

 investigating the natural history of that vast 

 country. Mr. Willoughby 1 passed through that 

 kingdom on such an errand; but he seems to 

 have skirted along in a superficial manner and an 

 ill humour, being much disgusted at the rude, 

 dissolute manners of the people. 



I have no friend left now at Sunbury to apply 



to about the swallows roosting on the aits of the 



Thames ; nor can I hear any more about those 



birds which I suspected were merulce torquatte. 



As to the small mice 2 , I have farther to 



1 See RAY'S Travels, p. 466. 



2 The mus messorius of Shaw is the least of British 

 quadrupeds. Mr. White has the merit of discovering it, 

 and has added some interesting information regarding it 

 in his different letters. The Rev. W. Bingley, in his 

 Memoirs of British Quadrupeds, has the following very 

 interesting remarks, illustrating the habits of an individual 



