cal Letters," that great flocks of them appeared 

 in this kingdom in the winter of 1685, feeding on 

 haws. 



The mention of haws puts me in mind that there 

 is a total failure of that wild fruit, so conducive to 

 the support of many of the winged nation. For the 

 same severe weather, late in the spring, which cut off 



all the produce of 

 the more tender 

 and curious trees, 

 destroyed also that 

 of the more hardy 

 and common. 



Some birds, 



haunting with the 

 missel-thrushes, and 

 feeding on the ber- 

 ries of the yew-tree, 

 which answered to 

 the description of 

 the Meriila torquata, 

 or ring-ouzel, were 

 lately seen in this 

 neighbourhood. I employed some people to procure 

 me a specimen, but without success. 



Query. — Might not Canary-birds be naturalized to 

 this climate, provided their eggs were put, in the 

 spring, into the nests of some of their congeners, as 



goldfinches, greenfinches, &c. ? Before winter per- 



48 



The great yew in the churchyard. 



