11 [Vol. xxxiii. 



request for comparison with those made at Selborue, and 

 was also addicted to the study of Natural History (vide 

 Extracts from his diary published in 'Notes on the Parishes 

 of Fyfield . . .' Salisbury, 1898). 



Of the sisters : — 



Ann (b. 1731) married Thomas Barker of Lyndon, in 

 "Rutland, whose son Samuel was a frequent correspondent of 

 his uncle Gilbert on Natural History and kindred matters. 



Rebecca (b. 1726) married Henry Woods of Shipwyke 

 and Chilgrove, near Chichester, where her brother often 

 broke his journey going and returning to Ringmer, near 

 Lewes, where lived his aunt Rebecca (d. 1780) the wife of 

 Henry Snooke. Gilbert was a constant visitor to his aunt 

 at Ringmer, and paid her at least one visit yearly till the 

 time of her death. Many of his letters to Dairies Barrington 

 in the ' Natural History ' were written from Delves House, 

 her residence there. From h&r he inherited the tortoise 

 11 Timothy," so often mentioned in the ' Natural History/ 

 and also landed property at Iping in Sussex. 



Of Gilbert's boyhood there is but little to relate. Soon 

 after his birth his parents removed from Selborue to 

 Compton in Surrey, about four miles from Guildford, and 

 remained there till 1727 ; they made a short stay at East 

 Harting and were back in Selborne in 1730. He went to 

 school at Farnham, and afterwards to the Grammar School 

 at Basingstoke, Thomas Warton (d. 1745) being Head 

 Master. In the Easter holidays of 1736 he was probably 

 at Lyndon, and had alreadj^ begun to make observations 

 in natural history, if the initials in the diary of his future 

 brother-in-law, Thomas Barker, refer to him : — 



1736. March 31. A flock of wild geese flew N.— G. W. 

 April 6. The cuckoo heard. — G. W. 

 The list of books made by Gilbert in his pocket-book as 

 taken to Basingstoke school in January 1738 is still extant 

 and shows his careful and methodical habits even as a boy. 

 In November 1740 he entered into residence at Oriel College, 

 Oxford, as a Commoner, and graduated B.A. in 1743. 



