14:2 THE UETROSPECT. 



2nd. — I consider the specimen to be a partial albino; and the absence 

 of colouring in some parts of the plumage and in the claws to be attributable 

 to that cause. 



3rd. — I believe the bird to be a hybrid. 



4th. — I have no doubt that one of its parents was a Sparrow- Hawk. 



5th. — I think it somewhat doubtful to what species the other parent 

 belonged; but on the whole I incline to the belief that it was a Hobby, 



6th. — To shew that this is not impossible, I will give you an authentic 

 instance in point: — A few years since, the gamekeeper of Henry Kett 

 Tomson, Esq., of Witchingham, in the county of Norfolk, discovered a 

 Hawk's nest in a plantation belonging to that gentleman. The gamekeeper, 

 after watching both the birds belonging to this nest on various occasions, 

 shot the hen bird upon the nest, and the bird so shot was a female 

 Sparrow-Hawk; he then laid wait for the male bird, which he also shot 

 at the nest, and which proved to be a Hobby: the nest contained four 

 eggs. The gamekeeper left both Hawks lying under the nest, where they 

 were observed by Mr. Howard Irby, a zealous ornithologist, who was staying 

 with Mr. Tomson at the time, and to whom I am indebted for the 

 record of the circumstance. Mr. Irby shewed me at the time the skins 

 of both the birds, and also one of the eggs. The latter differed from the 

 usual egg of the Sparrow-Hawk in the brown colouring matter being less 

 gathered into blotches, and more diflfused over the surface of the egg, than 

 is generally the case in the eggs of that bird. — J. H. Gurnev, 24, Ken- 

 sington Palace Gardens, April 10th., 1856." 



The above is a communication made to Dr. Hobson, of Leeds, by Mr. 

 Gurney, and it will be seen how closely it corroborates the suggestions I 

 had ventured to make. I cannot, however, say that I think that the fact of 

 two Hawks of different species having been shot in a wood at the same 

 place, is at all conclusive of the supposed fact that they were a pair, or 

 corroborative therefore of the genealogical descent of the subject of the 

 memoir. I mean that I think the supposition that the Hawks were acci- 

 dentally near together is so natural, as to be preferable to the idea that 

 they were so as partners. Likewise also, as to the variety of the egg, I 

 must say that ^nil moror,' for not only do all other eggs vary, but I have 

 specimens of those of the Sparrow-Hawk altogether different from each 

 other. On the main question, however, Mr. Gurney's opinion is a high 

 one, and valuable. — F. 0. Morris. 



I take the liberty of offering the following remarks with reference to a 

 subject which I am sorry to see appears to have very few representatives 

 in the columns of "The Naturalist;" why, I never could make out; as 

 there must be many of its readers who possess microscopes, but from some 



