THE NATURAL HISTORY OF SELBORNE. . 27 
It haunted a marshy piece of ground in quest of wild-ducks 
and snipes; but, when it was shot, had just knocked down a 
rook; which it was tearing in pieces. I cannot make it answer 
to any of our English hawks; neither could I find any like it 
at the curious exhibition of stuffed birds in Spring Gardens. 
I found it nailed up at the end of a barn, which is the country- 
man’s museum. 
The parish I live in is a very abrupt, uneven country, full 
of hills and woods, and therefore full of birds. 
LETTER XI. 
SELBORNE, September oth, 1767. 
It will not be without impatience that I will wait for your 
thoughts with regard to the falcon; as to its weight, breadth, 
etc., I wish I had set them down at the time; but, to the best 
of my remembrance, it weighed two pounds and eight ounces, 
and measured, from wing to wing, thirty-eight inches. Its cere 
and feet were yellow, and the circle of its eyelids a bright 
yellow. As it had been killed some days, and the eyes were 
sunk, I could make no good observation on the color of the 
pupils and the irides.? 
The most unusual birds I ever observed in these parts were 
a pair of hoopoes, which came several years ago in the summer, 
and frequented an ornamented piece of ground, which joins to 
my garden, for some weeks. They used to march about ina 
stately manner, feeding in the walks many times in the day; 
and seemed disposed to breed in my outlet ; but were frighted 
and persecuted by idle boys, who would never let them be at 
rest. 
1 Jrides — plural of iris, the colored circle which surrounds the pupil of 
the eye. 
