240 HIMANTOPUS TORTOISE. 



all Great Britain, but observed it often in the cabinets of the 

 curious at Paris. Hasselquist says, that it migrates to Egypt 

 in the autumn ; and a most accurate observer of nature has 

 assured me, that he has found it on the banks of the streams 

 in Andalusia. 



Our writers record it to have been found only twice in Great 

 Britain. From all these relations it plainly appears, that these 

 long-legged plovers are birds of South Europe, and rarely visit 

 our island ; and when they do, are wanderers and stragglers, 

 and impelled to make so distant and northern an excursion, 

 from motives or accidents, for which we are not able to account. 

 One thing may fairly be deduced, that these birds come over 

 to us from the Continent, since nobody can suppose that a 

 species not noticed once in an age, and of such a remarkable 

 make, can constantly breed unobserved in this kingdom.* 



LETTER XCII. 

 TO THE HON. DAINES BARRINGTON. 



SELBORNE, April 21, 1780. 



DEAR SIR, The old Sussex tortoise, that I have mentioned 

 to you so often, is become my property. 1 dug it out of its 

 winter dormitory in March last, when it was enough awakened 

 to express its resentments by hissing ; and, packing it in a box 

 with earth, carried it eighty miles in post chaises. The rattle 

 and hurry of the journey so perfectly roused it, that when I 

 turned it out on a border, it walked twice down to the bottom 

 of my garden : however, in the evening, the weather being 

 cold/ it buried itself in the loose mould, and continues still 

 concealed. 



As it will be under my eye, I shall now have an opportunity 

 of enlarging my observations on its mode of life, and propen- 

 sities ; and perceive already, that, towards the time of coming 

 forth, it opens a breathing-place in the ground near its head, 

 requiring, I conclude, a freer respiration as it becomes more 

 alive. This creature not only goes under the earth from the 

 middle of November to the middle of April, but sleeps great 

 part of the summer ; for it goes to bed, in the longest days, at 

 four in the afternoon, and often does not stir in the morning 



* This bird is a widely diffused species, being common in Egypt, the 

 shores of the Caspian Sea, the southern deserts "of Independent Tartary? 

 and Madras, in the East Indies ED. 



