AXD ROBERT MARSHAM. 



the increase of the Beech (at 5 feet) was 3 inches <S 2 tenths. 

 Sixteen Beeches of the same age, viz. all i had measured 

 except some i had digged round before, produced \<r\ little 

 above one inch a Tree. Therefore about 3 to one gained. 

 Now tho' the expense of digging cost much more than the 

 worth of the timber gained, yet it affords me much more 

 pleasure, than i could have felt, if i had not digged them, as i 

 do not feel the want of the digging money. You see 'tis like 

 Dean Swift in Gulliver of propagating a brood of Sheep with 

 hair instead of wool. But here is no injury, but to self. By 

 the bye i received a letter last post, informing me of a hollow 

 Oak within a few miles of Warwick 55 feet round at 3 feet. 

 I tell you honestly i do not believe it. — I know there is a 

 Baronet of the name of Cullum in Suffulk, but i have never 

 seen him. I have been to very few of the public meetings of 

 Suffolk, & none in these last 50 years. 



Oct r 30. My infirmities force me to write by instalments, & 

 Madam Procrastination will command the use of my pen. 

 My man has just now shot me a bird, which was flying about 

 my house : i am confident i have never seen its likeness 

 before. But on application to Willughby, i conclude it is the 

 Wall-creeper, or Spider-catcher. I find he had not seen it in 

 England*. It is very beautifully coloured, 'tho' the chief i- 

 cinereous ; but the shades of red on the wings, & the large 

 spots of white & yellow on the quil feathers, are uncommonly 

 pleasingf. You see Willughby does not mention them. 



I have asked several members for the Report, &c, but yei 

 without success : however, i have a few more in store. — I am 

 surprised that M r Etty should hear the English language al 

 Canton. If the Chinese can read English, it will be their 

 fault as well as misfortune, if they <lo not read tho Hist, of 

 Selborne. I had the pleasure of recommending a Vol. t<> 



* [Willughby 's words are: — "In Anglia nostra earn invenire aiunt, 

 quamvis nobis nondum fuerit conspecta " (Ornithologia, 1676, p. 99). 

 Ray Englishes them:—" They say it is found in England; but uh ham not 

 as yet had the hap to meet with it " (p. 143). Who the authors were who 

 made such an assertion I do not know. — A. N 



t [An exquisite drawing of two wing-feathers of the bird accompanied 

 a subsequent letter from Marsham (see pp. 204 and 297).— T. B. 



VOL. II. ' 



