THE NATURAL HISTORY OF SELBORNE. f 57 
Your account of the Indian grass was entertaining. I am 
no angler myself; but inquiring of those that are, what they 
supposed that part of their tackle to be made of — they 
replied, “ Of the intestines of a silkworm.” 
Though I must not pretend to great skill in entomology, 
yet I cannot say that I am ignorant of that kind of knowl- 
edge ; I may now and then perhaps be able to furnish you 
with a little information. 
The vast rains ceased with us much about the same time 
as with you, and since we have had delicate weather. Mr. 
Barker, who has measured the rain for more than thirty years, 
says, in a late letter, that more has fallen this year than in any 
he ever attended to ; though from July, 1763, to January, 1764, 
more fell than in any seven months of this year. 
Gerrer -X XIII. 
SELBORNE, fed. 28th, 1769. 
It is not improbable that the Guernsey lizard and our green 
lizards may be specifically the same; all that I know is that, 
-when some years ago many Guernsey lizards were turned loose 
in Pembroke College garden, in the University of Oxford, 
they lived a great while, and seemed to enjoy themselves very 
well, but never bred. Whether this circumstance will prove 
anything either way I shall not pretend to say. 
I return you thanks for your account of Cressi Hall; but 
recollect, not without regret, that in June, 1746, I was visiting 
for a week together at Spalding, without ever being told that 
such a curiosity was just at hand. Pray send me word in 
your next what sort of tree it is that contains such a quantity 
of herons’ nests; and whether the heronry consists of a whole 
grove of wood, or only of a few trees. 
1 Drawn from the silk glands. 
