THE RETROSPECT. 23 



I have always had the sincerest pleasure in aiding such correspondents 

 by advice in private letters, and look back with very great gratification to 

 this part of my pleasing labours I can only hope that the same measure 

 of kindly feeling which I have experienced, may be extended to my brother, 

 the Rev, F, O, Morris, who in future will edit "The Naturalist;" I am 

 sure that he will do his best to meet the requirements of the subscribers. 



I will only farther add, that I most sincerely and heartily wish you each 

 and all a happy New Year, and be assured that, although now ceasing my 

 official connection with you, I shall always feel the liveliest satisfaction 

 in the well-being of "The Naturalist." 



I remain, Ladies and Gentlemen, 



Yours most Faithfully, 



Beverley R. Morris. 



€kt HutrnsjiEt. 



Dr. Hobson asks in the last number of ^'The Naturalist," how the den- 

 tated process on the bill of the Hawk recently figured is to be accounted 

 for, if it be supposed to be merely a variety of the Sparrow-Hawk? The 

 answer is as follows: — The birds of the Hawk kind are divided into two 

 principal classes — the noble and the ignoble. The former are subdivided 

 into two, one the most noble, the other the noble. To the most noble 

 belong the Merlin, the Hobby, and the Peregrine. To the noble the Sparrow- 

 Hawk, our only British example. To the ignoble, the Buzzards, the Har- 

 riers, and the Eagles. In the most noble the bill is deeply indented; in 

 the noble less so; in the ignoble it is almost wanting, a slight festoon 

 alone indicating its place. In the specimen in question, if the dentate 

 process is more developed than in the Sparrow-Hawk, it may be accounted 

 for on the supposition I expressed that the bird might be a hybrid between 

 that species and one of the true Falcons. The specimen is certainly a very 

 curious one, and I would desire not to be thought to claim for my opinion 

 anything more than it is worth. The foot is my guide; — Cinderella was 

 traced by her slipper. ^^Ex pede Herculem." — F. 0. Morris, Great Northern 

 Hotel, London, November 5th., 1855. 



Moth Mixture. — I have no particular quantity of each liquid that I mix 

 up, but say a pound of sugar to about a quart of beer, with sufficient rum 

 to make it enticing, say five or six table- spoonfuls. Rum I consider in- 

 dispensible; 1st., the scent attracts the flies; 2nd., its intoxicating quality 

 stupifies them, and makes them easier to take with chloroform; 3rd., it is 

 very attractive from its sweetness. Now this quantity will not be sufficient 

 to last many nights, if your trees have not been previously anointed; but 



