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1. ATHALIA CENTIFOLIA. 2. BLACK DOLPHIN. 3. HALTICA NEMORUM

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ENCAUSTIC TILES, NOW FORMING THE FLOOR OF THE SUMMER-HOUSE IN THE

FARM-HOUSE GARDEN.

STONE COFFIN, KEPT IN THE FARM-HOUSE GARDEN

LEADEN TAP

PRIORY FARM-HOUSE

PRIORY SEAL

COCKCHAFFER

PHALENA QUERCUS

SPHYNX OCELLATA

GLOW-WORMS

PLATES.

GREAT BAT-HONEY Buzzard.

PEREGRINE FALCON-HYBRID pheasant.

VIPER'S HEAD-TORTOISE.

FALLOW DEER-RED DEER-STONE CURLEW.

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THE

NATURAL HISTORY OF SELBORNE.

LETTER I.*

TO THOMAS PENNANT, ESQ.

THE parish of Selborne lies in the extreme eastern corner of the county of Hampshire, bordering on the county of Sussex, and not far from the county of Surrey; is about fifty miles south-west of London, in latitude fifty-one, and near mid-way between the towns of Alton and Petersfield. Being very large and extensive it abuts on twelve parishes, two of which are in Sussex, viz., Trotton and Rogate. If you begin from the south

*The first series of Mr. White's Letters are addressed to Pennant, and run over a period of several years, during which that gentleman was engaged in writing his British Zoology; whether they were originally commenced as real letters between friends and naturalists, and were afterwards brought together for publication we are unable to say. Some bear the stamp of replies to actual letters, but when the idea of publication was fixed upon, it is probable that others may have been introduced, and such as this first one written as introductory to his parochial history. Mr. White tells us that they are published with the view of "laying before the public his idea of a Parochial History, which he thinks ought to consist of natural productions and occurrences as well as antiquities." (See Advertisement.) It is from such materials and records as these that the most complete County Histories might be drawn, aud he remarks that such are still wanting in several parts of the kingdom. In 1853 the same remark would continue to apply. The parish registers do not always go so far back, and have not always at an early period been kept with that exactness which White would have recommended, and it is often difficult to trace the origin of some old custom or pastime, or the etymology of some of the apparently now meaningless names of places, farms, or villages. Accordingly, in this his first letter, he at once goes into the necessary, though to some the dry and more tedious information, of the boundaries and situation of the parish; some of its statistics, produce, springs, with a slight sketch of its geology and physical character.

This is one of the few letters where the geology of the district is touched upon, and in only one of the numerous editions has this been explained; Mr. Bennet is the only editor who seems to have examined it for himself and to him, as others have done we must apply for information. This is necessary, as upon the explanation depends the proper understanding of several

B

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