112 
NATURAL HISTORY OF SELBORNE. 
of suet, and haunts butchers' shops. When a boy, I have known 
twenty in a morning caught with snap mouse-traps, baited with 
tallow or suet. It will also pick holes in apples left on the 
ground, and be well entertained with the seeds on the head of 
a sun-flower. The blue, marsh, and great titmice will, in very 
severe weather, carry away barley and oat straws from the sides 
of ricks. 
How the wheat-ear and whin-chat support themselves in win- 
ter cannot be so easily ascertained, since they spend their time 
on wild heaths and warrens ; the former especially, where there 
are stone quarries : most probably it is that their maintenance 
arises from the aurelice of the lepidoptera ordo, which furnish 
them with a plentiful table in the wilderness. 
I am, &c. 
LETTER XLII. To T. PENNANT, Es a. 
DEAR SIR, Selhorne, March 9, 1775. 
Some future faunist, a man of fortune, will, I hope, extend his 
visits to the kingdom of Ireland ; a new field, and a country little 
known to the naturalist. He will not, it is to be wished, under- 
take that tour unaccompanied by a botanist, because the moun- 
tains have scarcely been sufficiently examined ; and the southerly 
counties of so mild an island may possibly aflford some plants 
little to be expected within the British dominions.* A person of 
a thinking turn of mind will draw many just remarks from the 
modern improvements of that country, both in arts and agricul- 
ture, where premiums obtained long before they were heard of 
with us. The manners of the wild natives, their superstitions, 
their prejudices, their sordid way of life, will extort from him 
many useful reflections. He should also take with him an able 
draughtsman ; for he must by no means pass over the noble 
castles and seats, the extensive and picturesque lakes and water- 
falls, and the lofty stupendous mountains, so little known, and 
so engaging to the imagination when described and exhibited in 
a lively manner : such a work would be well received. 
As I have seen no modern map of Scotland, I cannot pretend 
* Even now the natural productions of Ireland are comparatively but little understood, tiiongh 
at present there are several observers diligently occupied in the investigation of them. I believe 
we are soon to expect ^ fauna of that coun.try. — Ed. 
