shire ; because it corroborates my discovery, which 

 I made many years ago, of the same sort, on a sunny 

 sandbank near Farnham in Surrey. I am well ac- 

 quainted with the south hams of Devonshire ; and 

 can suppose that district, from its southerly situa- 

 tion, to be a proper habitation for such animals in 

 their best colours. 



Since the ring-ousels of your vast mountains do 

 certainly not forsake them against winter, our sus- 

 picions that those which visit this neighbourhood 

 about Michaelmas are not English birds, but are 

 driven from the more northern parts of Europe by 

 the frosts, are still more reasonable ; and it will be 

 worth your pains to endeavour to trace from 

 whence they come, and to inquire why they make so 

 very short a stay. 



In the account you gave me of your error with 

 regard to the two species of herons, you incidentally 

 gave me great entertainment in your description of 

 the heronry at Cressi Hall; which is a curiosity I 

 never could manage to see. Fourscore nests of such 

 a bird on one tree is a rarity which I would ride 

 half as many miles to get a sight of. Pray tell me in 

 your next whose seat Cressi Hall is, and near what 

 town it lies." I have often thought that those vast 

 fens have not been sufficiently explored. If half a 

 dozen gentlemen, furnished with a good strength of 



Cressi Hall is near Spalding, in Lincolnshire. 



84 



