amusing to see the cock bird on wing at that
time, and to hear his piping and humming notes.

I have had no opportunity yet of procuring any of those mice which I
mentioned to you in town. The person that brought me the last says they
are plenty in harvest, at which time I will take care to get more; and
will endeavour to put the matter out of doubt whether it be a nondescript
species or not.

I suspect much there may be two species of water-rats. Ray says, and
Linnaeus after him, that the water-rat is web-footed behind. Now I have
discovered a rat on the banks of our little stream that is not
web-footed, and yet is an excellent swimmer and diver: it answers exactly
to the _mus amphibius_ of Linnaeus (see _Syst. Nat_.), which he says
"_natat in fossis et urinatur_." I should be glad to procure one
"_plantis palmatis_." Linnaeus seems to be in a puzzle about his _mus
amphibius_, and to doubt whether it differs from his _mus terrestris_;
which if it be, as he allows, the "_mus agrestis capite grandi
brachyuros_," of Ray, is widely different from the water-rat, both in
size, make, and manner of life.

As to the _falco_, which I mentioned in town, I shall take the liberty to
send it down to you into Wales; presuming on your candour that you will
excuse me if it should appear as familiar to you as it is strange to me.
Though mutilated "_qualem dices . . . ante hac fuisse tales cum sint
reliquiae_!"

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
countryman'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 9th_, 1767.

It will not be without impatience that I shall wait for your thoughts
with regard to the _falco_; 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 co