1 6 THE BIRDS OF ESSEX. 



From this letter, written when Doubleday was only twenty-three 

 years of age, we may gather that he had taken up the study of 

 natural history some three years earlier, namely, in 1829, when 

 only about twenty ; that he had worked with such energy that he had 

 actually no less than 153 species of stuffed birds in his collection; 

 and that he was already in correspondence with Yarrell. In the 

 following January, he speaks of " my friend Hewitson," and about 

 the same time he mentions Newman. 



On November 2nd, 1831, he writes : — 



" I have paid considerable attention to the eggs and nests of birds, and have 

 the eggs of most of those which breed in this neighbourhood. * » * 



" In a neighbourhood like this, covered for miles with forest, the summer 

 warblers are likely to be numerous, and the Nightingale comes over in great num- 

 bers, but are much thinned by the London birdcatchers. The three Willow- 

 Wrens, the two Whitethroats, the Blackcap and Pettychaps are very com- 

 mon. * * •* "With regard to the arrival of the birds, I am very particular, 

 never trusting to any one who has not a thorough knowledge of the bird." 



On January 19th, 1832, he says : — 



" My Nightingales and Blackcaps now sing most delightfully all day long and 

 the Greater Pettychaps also sings occasionally." 



On February 13th, 1836, he again says : — 



" My Nightingales are now singing delightfully." 



In February, 1832, he gives expression to this dictum : — ■ 



" Every person has clearly a right to his own opinion and I think that noth- 

 ing does more injury to science than one person assuming a kind of dictatorship 

 and expecting everybody to bow to his decision." 



On June 17th, 1833, he writes : — 



" I possess about 216 skins of British birds." 



Not long after, when Heysham had evidently paid him a well 

 deserved compliment upon his skill as a taxidermist, he writes 

 (August 3rd, 1834) :— 



" I am sure you praise my efforts at setting up birds far too highly. * * * 1 

 have done the best I could, but it often happens that business interrupts me when 

 I am about a bird and I haA-e to leave it for an hour or two. « * » You must 

 recollect I am perfectly self-taught." 



The spring of 1836 seems to have been unusually cold and late. 

 On July 14th, Doubleday writes : — 



" I think on the whole the summer birds are very thin this 3-ear. Some 

 species, I am sure, have not appeared in half their usual numbers here, particu- 

 larly the Whinchat, Nightingale and Common 'Whitethroat.'' 



The following paragraph occurs in a letter dated January 24th, 

 1837:- 



