NATURAL HISTORY OF SELBORNE. 57 



oedicnemus, 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 XXL 



Selborne, Nov. 2Sth, 1768. 



With regard to the oedicnemuSy 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 the dead 

 of the winter. When I have obtained information with 

 respect to this circumstance, I shall have finished my 

 history of the stone-curlew, which I hope will prove to 

 your .satisfaction, as it will be, I trust, very near the truth. 

 This gentleman, as he occupies a large farm of his own, and 

 is abroad early and late, will be a very proper spy upon the 

 motions of these birds ; and besides, as I have prevailed on 

 him to buy the Naturalist^s Journal (with which he is 

 much delighted), I shall expect that he will be very exact 

 in his dates. It is very extraordinary, as you observe, that 

 a bird so common with us should never struggle to you. 



And here will be the properest place to mention, while 

 I think of it, an anecdote which the above-mentioned 



