542 NATURAL HISTORY 



of corresponding with me, I have written to him, and de- 

 sired some particulars respecting this amazing tree. 



You seem to wonder that Mr. Willughby should not be 

 aware that the Fern-owl is a summer bird of passage. But 

 you must remember that those excellent men, Willughby 

 and Ray, wrote when the ornithology of England, and in- 

 deed the Natural History, was quite in its infancy. But 

 their efforts were prodigious, and indeed they were the 

 Fathers of that delightful study in this kingdom. I have 

 thoughts of sending a paper to the R. S. respecting the 

 fern-owl, and seem to think that I can advance some par- 

 ticulars concerning that peculiar, migratory, nocturnal bird, 

 that have never been noticed before. The rain of October 

 last was great, but of November still more. The former 

 month produced 6 in. 49 hund., but the latter upwards of 

 8 in., 5| of which fell in one week, viz., from Nov. 13th to 

 the 19th, both inclusive ! You will, I hope, pardon my 

 neglect and write soon. 0, that I had known you forty 

 years ago ! 



I remain, with great esteem, 



Your most humble servant, 



GIL. WHITE. 



My tortoise was very backward this year in preparing 

 his hybernaculum, and did not retire till towards the be- 

 ginning of December. 1 The late great snow hardly reached 

 us, and was gone at once. 



1 In previous years this " old Sussex tortoise began first to dig the 

 ground, in order to the forming its hybernaculum, on Nov. 1st" (Letter 

 XIII. to Daines Barrington, p. 172), and " retired under ground about 

 the 20th of November." (Letter XVII. to Daines Barrington, p. 190.) 

 It was not until April, 1780, that White was able to announce to his 

 friend that the animal had become his property. (Letter L. to Daines 

 Barrington, p. 276.) 



This tortoise survived its master about a year, dying, it is believed, 

 in the spring of 1794, after an existence in England of about fifty-four 

 years, the last fourteen of which were spent at Selborne. Its shell, which 

 is still preserved at Selborne, in the residence of the former owner, is 

 considered by Mr. Bell to be that of Testudo marginata. See antca, 

 pp. 277-278. ED. 



