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Wycliffe, near Greta-bridge Sep:25, 1785
Dear Sir,
I trouble you with this, as I have some apprehensions, by not hearing from you, that the Fringilla you desired to see, miscarried on the road, as I sent it up very soon after the receipt of your favor, or which I imagine more probable, you had left town before its arrival, as I heard sometime since, you was in the country. The reason I trouble you with this, is, not for any fear about the bird, but entirely, least I might seem in any instance to be deficient in proving how happy I am in doing any thing, that might be agreeable to you & contributing my little mite to the cause of natural history, which I so much earnestly desire to promote as far as my small abilities will permit. in the same parcel I troubled you with an account of some twin calves & some observations thereon, upon which I should be happy to have your thoughts, whenever convenient, any further occurrences in regard to them shall with pleasure communicate, if agreeable; the great & deserved reputation of Dr. J. Hunter may for ever sanctify an error, which in a person of inferior talents, would not have met with any notice, great geniuses sometimes fall into the greatest errors, witness Linneus [Linnaeus] himself in adopting the