^"i'sqs"] Sage, An Historic Letter. 359 



27. Regulus satrapa aztecus Lmvr. ■' — Can only be reported as doubtful, 

 since the specimen was not preserved. Others were seen. 



28. Sialia mexicana S-jj. Mexic.\n Bluebird. — One specimen, a young 

 bird, was taken at the snow^ line, 14,000 feet. Several others were seen. 



In addition to the above species a flock of Parrots was seen and their 

 notes distinctly heard, above the deep pine forest about midway between 

 upper and lower timber lines on the Peak. 



AN HISTORIC LETTER. 



BY JOHN H. SAGE. 



Mr. George W. Concklin, of Portland, Conn., recently pre- 

 sented me with a letter which I think of historic interest enough 

 to be published. It was* written by Mr. John L. Gardiner of 

 Gardiner's Island, N. Y., to Alexander Wilson, and dated April 

 30, 18 10. The date as given is erased in pencil and June 5 (also 

 in pencil) written over it. The letter is superscribed : " Mr. 

 Alexander Willson, Author of the American Ornithology, Phila- 

 delphia," but there is nothing to show that it was ever sent, being 

 kept probably as a copy. In Wilson's account of the Fish Hawk 

 he speaks of his "worthy friend Mr. Gardiner,'' and quotes prac- 

 tically from this letter in many instances. When writing of the 

 Bald Eagle, Wilson refers to " Mr. John L. Gardiner, who resides 

 on an island of three thousand acres, about three miles from the 

 eastern point of Long Island, from which it is separated by 

 Gardiner's Bay," words almost identical with those written in the 

 letter before me. The gentleman who gave me the letter is well 

 along in years and a relative of the Gardiner family. He tells 

 me that the precious document had been in the possession of his 

 father for many years previous to his death. 



"Gardiner's Island April 30th 1810. 

 " Mr, Alexander Willson. 



" I have received so much instruction &: amusement from 

 reading your first and second volume of Ornithology and as a 

 real American am so well pleased with the execution of the work 



