214 CORRESPONDENCE OF GILBERT WHITE 



purulent matter. Once I myself saw a large rough maggot 

 of this sort taken out of the back of a cow. These maggots 

 in Essex are called wornils. The least attention would con- 

 vince men that these birds, weak and unarmed as they are, 

 cannot inflict any harm on kine, unless they possess the 

 powers of animal magnetism, and can affect them by flutter- 

 ing over them. Pray ask y r brother whether he knows the 

 bird and the distemper, and whether Cheshire men are 

 persuaded that the latter is occasioned by the former. We 

 had experienced a most lovely wheat-harvest; but now there 

 is rain, which will respite the partridges for one day at least. 

 As soon as we came from town my house became full of 

 visitors ; we have had Mr. and Mrs. Sam Barker from Rut- 

 land, and Miss Eliz. Barker, a fine young woman, who is 

 allowed to be a very good lesson-player on the harpsichord. 

 They left us last Tuesday. We now expect my Bro. Tho. 

 White and family. My brother, I hear, is very well. Pray 

 present my respects to Dr. Loveday, and tell him I should be 

 very glad to see any notes or remarks made by him or his 

 venerable father on the history of Selborne : could they have 

 been procured before publication, they would have been more 

 valuable, because I might then have availed myself of their 

 corrections. My book is still asked for in Fleet Street. A 

 gent, came the other day, and said he understood that there 

 was a Mr. White who had lately published two books, a good 

 one and a bad one ; the bad one was concerning Botany Bay, 

 the better respecting some parish. The bookseller recom- 

 mended the parochial work; and told the enquirer that he did 

 not believe the author ever had been at Botany Bay, or had 

 ever written about it. 



Mrs. J. White joins in respects. Mr. and Mrs. Ed. White 

 arc gone to Ramsgate in Kent, a watering-place on the coast. 

 Mr. and Mrs Taylor are here. W r e have again a very fine 

 crop of hops. 



Yr most humble servant, 



GIL. WHITE. 



