228 LORD LILFORD 



my collection of the birds of our county and 

 neighbourhood. The game season has been fair, 

 rather above our average, but evidently less 

 productive than the season of 1892. A very dry 

 year such as this 1893 is seldom super-excellent 

 for game, and Snipe and Wildfowl have hitherto 

 been remarkable from their scarcity.' 



' November 15, 1895. Cosgrave reports the 

 death of the Spanish Ichneumon sent to me last 

 year by the Comte de Paris, and brought in the 

 corpse of one of the Black-headed Partridges; I 

 sent the Ichneumon to Walter Kothschild. Far 

 worse than these losses is the death of poor old 

 "Sardo," my Blue Eock Thrush, taken by me 

 from the nest in 1882 on S. Stefano, Straits 

 of Bonifacio, my constant, quaint, and most 

 amusing companion ever since, and a charming 

 singer, beloved of my C. since our marriage ; he 

 died (as I believe) chiefly of old age, and was 

 singing vigorously this morning. I shall never 

 have his like again.' 



' December 31, 1895. So ends the year 1895, 

 which has been one full of mercies to me, mingled 

 of course with some great sorrows and the usual 

 small annoyances ; but the general good health 



