472 Letters, Extracts, Notices, i^c. 



us from the India Museum in the condition they now are, 

 and I write this short note of explanation, as otherwise in 

 future years it might be thought that the specimens had 

 been allowed to perish while under my care. 



I am, &c., 



R. BOWDLER ShARPE. 



Sirs, — We were not a little surprised after reading Mr. 

 Seebohm's paper on the " Birds of Natal/^ in the July No. 

 of ' The Ibis,' to find that in the short period of one month's 

 observation he had. been able to arrive at the conclusion 

 (p. 346) that there is not " a shred of evidence " in favour 

 of the theory which we advanced in ' The Ibis ' for 1883 

 respecting the various changes of plumage of Sawicola mori' 

 ticola. It will be remembered by those who read our paper 

 that for the greater part of the year 1881 we had the most 

 favourable opportunity of observing the plumage, habits, and 

 nidification of this species, and for upwards of ten months 

 we made a special study of this subject in the field, collecting 

 a very large series of skins in every stage of plumage, which 

 we brought home carefully labelled and in perfect preserva- 

 tion. Having submitted these skins (which are now in Capt. 

 Shelley's museum) to Mr, R. B. Sharpe for examination, and 

 having at the same time looked over the skins in the South 

 Kensington Museum, we had no difficulty, with so large 

 a series before us and the knowledge of the species which 

 we had acquired in the field, in deciding this long-discussed, 

 question. Mr. Sharpe, who is ever ready to give assistance 

 in such matters, was good enough to give his careful atten- 

 tion to the subject in our presence, and to view the skins 

 after we had arranged them in order, showing the various 

 changes of plumage, as described subsequently in our paper; 

 and he agreed Avith us, without hesitation, that our theory 

 was coi^rect, as will be seen by his remarks which followed 

 (p. 337). Now with the above facts fresh in our memory we 

 can hardly be expected to admit that we are entirely wrong, 

 that our time and labours in Natal were therefore wasted, 

 and that Mr. SLcbuhm's decision, after so little field-exjjc- 



