to corroborate my suspicions ; and I hope Mr. Hunt 

 may find reason to give his decision in my favour ; 

 and then, I think, we may advance this extraordinary 

 provision of nature as a new instance of the wisdom 

 of God in the creation. 



As yet I have not quite done with my history of 

 the 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. 



Selborne, Oct. 8,1768. 



LETTER XXI. 

 To Thomas Pennant, Esq. 



With regard to the ocdicnenius, or stone-curlew, I 

 intend to write very soon to my friend near Chiches- 

 ter, in whose neighbourhood these birds seem most 

 to abound ; and shall urge him to take particular 

 notice when they begin to congregate, and after- 

 wards 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 



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