72 NATURAL HISTORY 



advance this extraordinary provision of nature as a new in- 

 stance of the wisdom of God in the creation. 



As yet I have not quite done with my history of the 

 (Edicnemus, 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. 



LETTER XXL 



TO THOMAS PENNANT, ESQUIRE. 



SELBORNE, Nov. 28, 1768. 



regard to the (Edicnemus , or stone- 

 curlew, I intend to write very soon to my 

 friend near Chichester, in whose neighbour- 

 hood these birds seem most to abound ; 

 and shall urge him to take particular notice 

 when they begin to congregate, and afterward to watch 

 them most narrowly whether they do not withdraw them- 

 selves during the dead of the winter. When I have ob- 

 tained information with respect to this circumstance, I 

 shall have finished my history of the stone- curlew ; which I 

 hope will prove to your satisfaction, as it will be, I trust, 

 very near the truth. 1 This gentleman, as he occupies a 

 large farm of his own, and is abroad early and late, will be a 

 very proper spy upon the motions of these birds : and besides, 

 as I have prevailed on him to buy the " Naturalist's Journal/' 

 (with which he is much delighted,) I shall expect that ha 

 will be very exact in his dates. 2 It is very extraordinary, 



1 This bird is again alluded to in Letter XXXIII. to Pennant, ED. 



2 The " Naturalist's Journal." Printed for W. Sandby, Fleet Street, 

 London; 1767. Price one shilling and sixpence. ED. 



