SOME REMARKS ON THE COLLECTION 



In the year 1878, when on leave from India as a 

 Captain, I was introduced by a clergyman friend to two 

 gentlemen farmers, brothers, who had a sheep farm 

 of about 1,000 acres at Mere, a country town about 

 five miles distant from Gillingham in the county of 

 Wiltshire. The younger of these two, Ernest Baker, 

 was a great sportsman and naturalist ; eventually he 

 became one of the truest and best friends I ever 

 had, and after my retirement from the Service in 

 1886, I used to shoot with him mosdy every year 

 till his death in 1892. He was a first-class shot and 

 fisherman, and many a happy day have I had with 

 him in the field. His death was an irreparable loss 

 to me ; Requiescat in Pace. He had a fine collec- 

 tion of birds in his dining-room, and seeing this I 

 really think started the idea with me that I would 

 try and do likewise. 



Having once got the idea of employing some of 

 my spare time by starting a collection my next 

 thought was, that to be of any interest and value to 

 myself, it must be the outcome of my own individual 

 effort and observation in the field, and this I have 

 tried to carry out as far as possible. What I 

 claim for the collection is, that most of the birds 

 have been shot by me, or that I have been associated 

 with them in the field when they have been shot or 



