46 
NATURAL HIST 0 BY 
LETTER XIII. 
0 THOMAS PENNANT, ESQUIRE. 
Selborne, Jan. 22, 1768. 
S in one of your former letters you expressed 
the more satisfaction from my corre- 
spondence on account of my living in tlie 
most southerly county ; so now I may 
return the compliment,, and expect to have 
my curiosity gratified by your living much more to the 
north. 
CHAFFINCH. 
For many years past I have observed that towards 
Christmas vast flocks of chafiinches have appeared in the 
fields ; many more, I used to think, than could be hatched 
in any one neighbourhood. But, when I came to observe 
them more narrowly, I was amazed to find that they seemed 
to me to be almost all hens. I communicated my suspicions 
to some intelligent neighbours, who, after taking pains 
about the matter, declared that they also thought them all 
mostly females ; at least fifty to one. This extraordinary 
occurrence brought to my mind the remark of Linnasus ; 
