I could
wish to see that work, and hope to get it sent down. Dr. Scopoli is
physician to the wretches that work in the quicksilver mines of that
district.
(* This work he calls his Annus Primus Historico-Naturalis.)
When you talked of keeping a reed-sparrow, and giving it seeds, I
could not help wondering; because the reed-sparrow which I
mentioned to you (passer arundinaceus minor Raii) is a soft-billed
bird; and most probably migrates hence before winter; whereas the
bird you kept (passer torquatus Raii) abides all the year, and is a
thick-billed bird. I question whether the latter be much of a
songster; but in this matter I want to be better informed. The
former has a variety of hurrying notes, and sings all night. Some
part of the song of the former, I suspect, is attributed to the latter.
We have plenty of the soft-billed sort; which Mr. Pennant had
entirely left out of his British Zoology, till I reminded him of his
omission. See British Zoology last published, p. 16.**
(** See Letter XXV to Mr.
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