556 
NATURAL HISTORY 
faction of introducing new bird of which future ornitholo- 
gists will say/'^found at Strattonin Norfolk by that painful and 
accurate Naturalist, Robert Marsham, Esq/' ^ You observe 
that Scopoli does not take notice that the hind claw is about 
double the length of the fore claws, but Linnseus corrobo- 
rates your remark by saying, Ungues validi, prgesertim 
posticus/' You seem a little to misunderstand Scopoli re- 
specting the spots on the inner side of the quill feathers : by 
the inner side he does not mean the under side of the wing 
next the body, but only the inner or broader web of the 
quills, on which those remarkable spots are found, as appear 
by the drawing. I am much delighted with the exact copies 
sent me in the frank, and so charmingly executed by the 
fair unknown, whose soft hand has directed her pencil in a 
most elegant manner, and given the specimens a truly deli- 
cate and feathery appearance. Had she .condescended to 
have drawn the whole bird I should have been doubly 
gratified ! It is natural to young ladies to wish to captivate 
men, but she will smile to find that her present conquest is 
a very old man. 
My best thanks are due for all your good offices respect- 
ing my work, and in particular for your late recommendation 
to the Duke of Portland. 
You did not in your last take any notice of my inquiries 
concerning woodpeckers, whether they ever pierce a sound 
tree, or only those that are tending to decay I have ob- 
served that with us they love to bore the edible chestnuts ; 
perhaps because the wood is softer than that of oak. They 
breed in my outlet, I think in old willows. You have not 
told me anything about Arthur Young. You cannot abhor 
the dangerous doctrines of levellers and republicans more 
than I do ! I was born and bred a gentleman, and hope I 
^ A prophecy singularly verified after an interval of more than eighty 
years. — Ed. 
^ The ability of the Green Woodpecker to pierce sound timber has 
been placed beyond doubt by the testimony of more recent observers, 
— Ed. 
