76 



NATURAL HISTORY 



the evening. They cannot, I think, with 

 any propriety, be called as they are by Mr. 

 Sai/, '* circa aquas versantes for with us, 

 by day at least, they haunt only the most 

 dry, open, upland fields and sheep-walks, 

 far removed from water : what they may 

 do in the night I cannot say. Worms are 

 their usual food, but they also eat toads 

 and frogs. 



I can show you some good specimens of 

 my new mice. LinncBus perhaps would call 

 the species mus minimus. 



LETTER XVL 



TO THE SAME. 



DEAR SIR; Selborne, April 18, 1768. 



Xhe history of the stone curlew charadrius 

 oedicnejnus, is as follows. It lays its eggs, 

 usually two, never more than three, on the 

 bare ground, without any nest, in the 

 field ; so that the countryman, in stirring 



