114 NATURAL HISTORY 



may perhaps amuse you for a quarter of an 

 hour when next I have the honour of writ- 

 ing to you. 



LETTER XXIV. 



TO THE SAME. 



DEAR SIR; Selborne, May 29, 1769. 



TThe scarahcBus Julio I know very well, 

 having seen it in collections ; but have 

 never been able to discover one wild in its 

 natural state. Mr. Banks told me he 

 thought it might be found on the sea-coast. 



On the thirteenth of April, I went to the 

 sheep-down, M^here the ring-ousels]idi\e\>eexi 

 observed to make their appearance at spring 

 and fall, in their way perhaps to the north 

 or south; and was much pleased to see 

 three birds about the usual spot. We shot 

 a cock and a hen ; they were plump and 

 in high condition. The hen had but very 



