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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 waterfalls, 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 to say how accurate or particular any such may be; but this I know, that the best old maps of that kingdom are very defective.

The great obvious defect that I have remarked in all maps of Scotland that have fallen in my way is, a want of a coloured line, or stroke, that shall exactly define the just limits of that district called the Highlands. Moreover, all the great avenues to that mountainous and romantic country want to be well distinguished. The military roads formed by General Wade, are so great and Roman-like an undertaking that they well merit attention. My old map, Moll's map, takes notice of Fort William; but could not mention the other forts that have been erected long since; therefore a good representation of the chain of forts should not be omitted.

The celebrated zigzag up the Coryarich must not be passed over. Moll takes notice of Hamilton and Drumlanrig, and such capital houses; but a new survey, no doubt, should represent every seat and castle remarkable for any great event, or celebrated

for its paintings, &c. Lord Breadalbane's seat and beautiful policy are too curious and extraordinary to be omitted.

The seat of the Earl of Eglintoun, near Glasgow, is worthy of notice. The pine plantations of that nobleman are very grand and extensive indeed.

LETTER XLIII.

A PAIR of honey-buzzards, buteo apivorus, sive vespivorus, Raii, built them a large shallow nest, composed of twigs, and lined with dead beechen. leaves, upon a tall slender beech near the middle of Selborne Hanger, in the summer of 1780.* In the middle of the month of June, a bold boy climbed this tree, though standing on so steep and dizzy a situation, and brought down an egg, the only one in the nest, which had been sat on for some time, and contained the embryo of a young bird. The egg was smaller, and not so round as those of the common buzzard; was dotted at each end with small red spots, and surrounded in the middle with a broad bloody zone.

The hen bird was shot, and answered exactly to

*The honey-buzzard is a rare species in this country. Mr. Yarrell says that it is "more frequently met with in the counties on the east coast, from Suffolk to Northumberland, than elsewhere." I have known a few specimens killed in Cambridgeshire. The nest has been very seldom met with anywhere. -L. J.

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Mr. Ray's description of that species: had a black cere, short thick legs, and a long tail. When on the wing, this species may be easily distinguished from the common buzzard, by its hawk-like appearance, small head, wings not so blunt, and longer tail. This specimen contained in its craw some limbs of frogs, and many grey snails without shells. The irides of

the eyes of this bird were of a beautiful bright yellow colour.

About the tenth of July in the same summer, a pair of sparrow-hawks bred in an old crow's nest on a low beech in the same Hanger; and as their brood, which was numerous, began to grow up, became so daring and ravenous, that they were a terror to all the dames in the village that had chickens or ducklings under their care. A boy climbed the tree, and found the young so fledged that they all escaped from him; but discovered that a good house had been kept; the larder was well stored with provisions; for he brought down a young blackbird, jay, and house-martin, all clean picked, and some half devoured. The old birds had been observed to make sad havoc for some days among the new-flown swallows and martins, which, being but lately out of their nests, had not acquired those powers and command of wing that enable them, when more mature, to set such enemies at defiance.

LETTER XLIV.

Selborne, Nov. 30, 1780.

EVERY incident that occasions a renewal of our correspondence will ever be pleasing and agreeable to

me.

As to the wild wood-pigeon, the oenas, or vinago, of Ray, I am much of your mind; and see no reason

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for making it the origin of the common house-dove: but suppose those that have advanced that opinion may have been misled by another appellation, often given to the oenas, which is that of stock-dove.*

* The stock-dove, or Columba oenas, is not the origin of the common house-dove, but the blue rock-pigeon, afterwards spoken of, the C. livia of Brisson and Temminck. The former, as White observes, is an inhabitant of woods and trees: the latter is found only on rocky cliffs, principally those in the neighbourhood of the it is met with in various parts of England, as well as on the east and west coasts of Scotland. The two species were

sea;

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