only seen, I should like to add a word or two. There are many 

 reasons why men write. The only reasons should be to give or 

 receive correct information. From statements which often appear, 

 unfortunately, there is no way to question their accuracy, unless 

 you imply on the writer's part a desire to deceive ; but when one 

 reads a book on a subject like natural history, to study it, one 

 must consider the probability of what is written, and not always, 

 perhaps, jump at the same conclusions as the author. As an in- 

 stance, in Mr. Gray's book on the birds of Scotland the long- 

 legged Plover is reported as having been seen on two occasions, 

 by Don, of Forfarshire, on mountains. Is it in the least probable 

 one person could at different times see such a bird in such un- 

 likely places ? Another observer minutely describes the actions 

 of one, seen with a glass at a distance, and describes it as an 

 immature bird, even to the eyes, which were red. Does not 

 this species retain the dark eyes like the Oyster-catcher till it is 

 mature ? If I am wrong, I willingly apologise ; but it is per- 

 haps as well to criticise statements so made, which may tend to 

 make observers more cautious in writing. 



Not long ago, in the leading daily paper, a well-known natu- 

 ralist occupied a considerable space, in which he gave a quotation 

 from the work of another naturalist on the habits of one of our 

 common small migratory shore "birds. Until I saw this, it never 

 struck me these elegant small birds had probably received their 

 name from their being able to turn a stone of fish ; now, a joke 

 is a joke, but natural history need not be brought into ridicule.* 



I was delighted, on reading Mr. Gurney's book under the head 

 ' ' Birds claimed to be accounted British," to see he has had courage 

 to tackle such authors as even Yarrell where he thinks they are 

 wrong, as they sometimes undoubtedly are ; but it requires a 

 certain amount of courage to do so. I think, however, he has 

 not even gone far emmgh respecting the spotted Sandpiper I 

 refer to the Aberdeen reputed birds. This bird seems to take the 

 place in America which the Common Sandpiper does in Europe 

 and Asia, most probably migrating in the same manner. Now, 



* The account of the Turnstone sent by Morris from Edwards' Book to the 

 Times newspaper. 



