OF SELBORNE. 
169 
I am glad you are making inquiries from Linnasus con- 
cerning the woodcock. It is expected of him that he should 
be able to account for the motions and manner of life of the 
animals of his own Fauna. 
Faunists, as you observe, are too apt to acquiesce in bare 
descriptions and a few synonyms : the reason is plain, be- 
cause all that may be done at home in a man^s study; but 
the investigation of the life and conversation of animals is 
a concern of much more trouble and difficulty, and is not to 
be attained but by the active and inquisitive, and by those 
that reside much in the country. 
Foreign systematics are, I observe, much too vague in 
their specific differences, which are almost universally con- 
stituted by one or two particular marks, the rest of the 
description running in general terms. But our country- 
man, the excellent Mr. Ray, is the only describer that 
conveys some precise idea in every term or word, maintain- 
ing his superiority over his followers and imitators in 
spite of the advantages of fresh discoveries and modern 
information. 
At this distance of years it is not in my power to recol- 
lect at what periods woodcocks used to be sluggish or alert 
when I was a sportsman; but upon my mentioning this 
circumstance to a friend, he thinks he has observed them to 
be remarkably listless against snowy foul weather. If this 
should be the case, then the inaptitude for flying arises 
only from an eagerness for food, as sheep are observed to be 
very intent on grazing against stormy wet evenings.^ 
^ Amongst the miscellaneous observations, published by Mr. Jesse 
from Gilbert White's MS. diary (" Gleanings Nat. Hist.," 2nd series, 
p. 177) occurs the following: — "When horses, cows, sheep, deer, &c., 
feed in wind and rain, they always keep their heads down the wind 
and their tails to the weather ; but birds always perch and choose to 
fly with their heads to the weather, to prevent the wind from ruffling 
their feathers, and the cold and wet from penetrating to their skins.'' 
—Ed. 
