CORRESPONDENCE WITH HIS FAMILY. 12 ( J 



night : our harvest is in a very bad way. When I arrived 

 last Friday evening I was surprized to find Mrs. H. Isaacs and 

 niece Becky at supper with my aunt. B. is grown beyond all 

 knowledge. Nep. Richard, who has left school, is here with me. 

 Mr. Shadwell has left Stoneham Farm, which is raised from 

 250 to 400 pr ami. Thanks to Molly White for her agreeablo 

 letter. On the Friday you mention my therm 1 ' rose up to 79 

 within doors — a pitch which I have scarce ever seen exceeded. 

 Wheat grows in the sheaf. You have the Stojxirolce, I find ; 

 but say nothing of the white-throat, black-cap, Reguli non- 

 cristati 3 species, the redstart. Respects to all. 



Yours affect. 



GIL. WHITE. 



We have just weighed Timothy, who is encreased in weight 

 just one ounce and an half since last August. Stoparolw 

 come to Selborne May 20, depart about Sept. 7. 



LETTER XXIV. 



TO SAMUEL BAEKER. 



Fyfield, Nov. 1, 1770. 

 Dear Sam, 



Just as I thought you had been master of the maimers and 



customs of the bank-martin, you write me word that you do 



not know it when you see it. The case is, you did not begin 



to look 'til the decline of summer, when all the Hirundines 



cease to frequent their nesting-places. If you will pay some 



attention to those holes in the spring, you will probably see 



the owners busyed in the matter of niclification : besides they 



are to be distinguished from their congeners by their small 



size, their mouse-colour, and their toriggling desultory manner 



of flying. Pray observe when they come first. 



The instance you give of the swiftness of an hawk was 



somewhat extraordinary. But a very intelligent person 



assured me that he once saw a more extraordinary instance of 



command of wing in a daw, which is not very remarkable for 



VOL. II. Iv 



