BIRDS CLAIMING TO BE ACCOUNTED BRITISH. 259 



" It was shot on the Mersey by E. Lord, skinned by him under 

 the wing, given to me by him, and set up by myself after being 

 shown to various friends fresh." 



But though willing to give credence in this instance, I 

 should for the present withhold it from an example which 

 I am told is stated in Byerley's "Fauna of Liverpool" 

 (p. 19) — a work I have not seen — to have occurred on 

 Form by s\\orQ,Jidc Mr. Mather, a birdstuffer, not now living. 



In a foot-note to his "Handbook," p. 140, Mr. Harting 

 informs his readers that he procured a Spotted Sandpiper of 

 Mr. Burton, the well-known birdstuffer in Soho, which was 

 said to have been shot with another on the coast of Kent. 

 This other I purchased, and at the same time learnt from 

 Mr. Burton that the name of the person who obtained them 

 was Bromley, but from his conversation with me he ap- 

 peared to be exceedingly doubtful of either of them being 

 British. 



My father has a specimen obtained from Mr. Mummery, 

 the curator of the Museum at Margate, who averred that it 

 was killed in that part of Kent. I do not believe a word of 

 it ; not that I would insinuate that he could be guilty of 

 intentionally deceiving, but a mistake is possible, and may 

 have been, and no doubt was committed. 



I am sorry I cannot abbreviate this long tale. It is a 

 necessary part of my scheme to quote every instance that 

 has come to my knowledge, no matter how improbable, no 

 matter if it be disproved already, no matter that I am 

 morally satisfied of its not being a sound case. 



Professor Newton, who has taken a great interest in the 

 subject, and for whose assistance I beg to return my best 

 thanks, feels convinced, after looking over my evidence, 

 that some more cases might still be refuted ; and several 

 other able ornithologists deny the right of the subject of 

 this essay to British citizenship. As the lawyer said, " I 



