CHAPTER OF CRITICISM. 203 



to occupy a few of its pages. Among others I sent a paper on the hahits of the 

 Crossbill, from my own observation of that bird. More recently, a paper has 

 appeared on the same subject from the pen of Mr. Joseph Clarke, and as it 

 appears to me that he has plagiarised rather largely from my account, I send 

 you extracts from both, that the orignality of Mr. Clarke may be made evident, 

 as well as the care and attention of Mr. Charlesworth in his capacity 

 of Editor. 



Extract from Mr. Morris's Paper " Having, probably, been but little ever disturbed in the 



recesses of their native forests, they were at first exceedingly tame. Mr. Martin [George 

 Martin, Esq., of Sandall, near Doncaster — Ed.] informed me that, when he first observed them, 

 they allowed him to fire at them several times, and to load his gun after each shot, without 

 leaving the tree they were upon, though some of their number were killed each time : so little 

 accustomed did they appear to the sight of a gun, and so little acquainted with its murderous 

 use. The morning that I saw them, however, they evidently had become a little more wary, 

 though still more tame than any other wild birds I had even seen before. * * * * The feet 

 are exceedingly strong, and the legs placed very far backward indeed ; there is very great power 

 in the muscles and tendons by which they are worked, so that the bird can sway its body into 

 almost any position such as the situation of its food may require for its getting at it. The birds 

 seem almost as if their feet were ingrafted into the branch, so firmly fixed do they appear, bending 

 their bodies at the same time upwards and downwards, in fact, in any direction, and in every 

 attitude. When the bird is dead, the feet are contracted in a very forcible manner, requiring 

 some strength to bend them, and bent as if grasping the branch to which they were before so 

 attached : * the ruling passion strong in death.' '' — Vol. IX., p. 414 — 15. 



Extract from Mr. Clarke's Description These busy strangers, with their incessant twittering^ 



were continually flying from tree to tree, curiously examining every fir-apple, and with one of 

 their strong feet grasping the twig, and with the other the fruit, of the Fir ; sometimes in a 

 horizontal, sometimes in a vertical, position ; turning up and down with as much facility as if on 

 a pivot | swaying their bodies to and fro in almost every possible attitude ; breaking with their 

 strong, crossed, and admirably-adapted bills, the scaly case ; and extricating the seed from every 

 cone. It was highly amusing to observe them in their indefatigable avocations, which, on their 

 first appearance, was a matter of no great difficulty, as they seemed totally unused to the busy 

 haunts of men, and had not yet learned to fear the approach of an enemy. So tame were they 

 as to be but little alarmed at the report of a gun, even when near them ; but cruel experience 

 soon taught them to be more wary, and to court the gaze of the destroyer less wantonly, although 

 at no time could they be said to be wild or shy."— Vol. I., N. <£,, p. 165. 



I remain, Sir, 



Your obedient servant, 

 Doncaster, July 4, 1837. Francis Orpen Morris. 



£As regards Mr. Clarke's notes on the Crossbill, we consider them both 

 original and valuable ; and we are willing to believe that the similarity existing 

 between some portions of his paper and that of Mr. Morris, are rather to be 

 attributed to the accuracy of the observations of both parties than to plagiarism 

 on the part of Mr. Clarke. We should be glad to find that the latter gentleman 

 could conscientiously confirm our opinion. — On the " Music of Snails" we shall 

 not comment ; the facts speak for themselves.— Ed.J 



