74 NATURAL HISTORY 
And here, I think, will be the proper place to mention that: 
thofe birds were moft pundiual again in their migration this 
autumn, appearing, as before, about the 30th of September: but their 
flocks were larger than common, and their ftay protraded fome- 
what beyond the ufual time. If they came to fpend the whole 
winter with us, as fome of their congeners do, and then left us, 
as they do, in fpring, I ihould not be fo much flruck with the 
occurrence, fmce it would be fimilar to that of the other winter 
birds of paffage ; but when I fee them for a fortnight at Michaelmas , 
and again for about a week in the middle of Jpril, I am feized 
with wonder, and long to be informed whence thefe travellers 
come, and whither they go, flnce they feem to ufe our hills merely 
as an inn or baiting place. 
Your account of the greater brambling, or fnow-fleck, is very 
amuling ; and ftrange it is that fuch a fliort-winged bird fhould 
delight in fuch perilous voyages over the northern ocean ! Some 
country people in the winter time have every now and then told me 
that they have fecn two or three white larks on our downs;, bur, on 
confidering the matter, I begin to fufpeft that thefe are fome 
flragglers of the birds we are talking of, which fometimes- perhaps 
may rove fo far to the fouthward. 
It pleafes me to find that white hares are fo frequent on the 
Scott'ijh mountains, and efpecially as you inform me that it is a 
diftind fpecies ; for the quadrupeds of Britain are fo few, that 
every new fpecies is a great acquilition. 
The eagle-owl, could it be proved to belong to us, is fo majefllc 
a bird, that it would grace our y^/^;/^ much. I never was informed 
before where wild-geefe are known to breed. 
You admit, I find, that I have proved your fen-falicaria to be 
the lelTer reed-fparrow of Ray: and 1 think you may be fccure 
that 
