Correspondence.



171



As to the House-Sparrow, I have never advocated preserving

it; on the other hand, I have strongly protested against the apathy

displayed in its destruction (cf. Nature, June 28, 1917 ; Journ. Board

Agric., p. 67G, September, 1918; National Review, pp. 606-12, June,

1919). Whilst I should be pleased to see, in the interests of

agriculture, strong repressive measures instituted, I am not in favour

of any policy advocating extermination. The House-Sparrow is

injurious because it is too plentiful.—Yours,


Walter E. Collinge.


The University,


St. Andrews.



THE NEW OOLOGISTS’ JOURNAL.


Bhooklands Estate Office,

Weybridge.


Dear Sir, — I am asking all my egg-collecting friends to

support me in the establishment of the I.O.U. It will pay them to

do so merely for the purpose of negotiating purchases and exchanges

without the mediation of a dealer. As the membership grows, so

this Bulletin will grow in interest and usefulness. It is the first

attempt ever made to unite collectors in all parts of the world.—

Yours truly,


Iv. L. Skinner.


[We wish Mr. Skinner’s new periodical every success. Every

other branch of zoological science—entomology, conchology, etc.—

has its own journals ; but oology is the Cinderella of natural history

and we know of but one other publication devoted to the study of

birds’ eggs.—G. R.]



DR. SHUFELDT.


Dear Dr. Renshaw,— Y’ou were quite right that I would be

up and at work again before your most welcome letter of the

18th ult. reached me. While confined to the hospital I read through

for the second time Captain S. A. White’s (Fulham, Australia)



