97 



so long a time. Its having this power calls to my mind the dif- 

 ference in allied species : why is this not so with other species 

 to the same extent ? It is often supposed that, could we have 

 all the species that ever were together, a natural systematic ar- 

 rangement would he apparent. My observations lead me to the 

 conclusion that the more we see the more confusing and perplex- 

 ing the whole matter becomes. It appears evidence is not pre- 

 sent that any sorts of birds (except the few wingless species) are 

 at all likely to become extinct ; certainly they will not become 

 so by being shot. Let the croakers think of the Pewit, whose 

 eggs are so extensively gathered, both at home and abroad, and 

 also of the numbers destroyed in harrowing and rolling the 

 ground when they are sitting and laying ; yet still the species is, 

 perhaps, as numerous as ever. C. M. A. 



In THE FIELD of November 17th, 1866, Mr. Edward Newman 

 wrote that it had been very agreeable to observe the probability 

 of this bird's breeding in Britain discussed in THE FIELD. He 

 gave all the notices of its occurrence from 1789 to 1866, in 23 

 of which years it had been recorded. He added, he thought 

 there was no sufficient reason to suppose the bird had ever bred 

 here : had that been the case, July would have been the month 

 to find the young (none, either old or young, were recorded in 

 that month), and that he must regard the Little Bittern as one 

 of those vernal and autumnal migrants that occasionally or acci- 

 dentally visit Great Britain in the course of their migration. 



This letter from such an authority should caution people from 

 jumping at the conclusion that birds met with on migration late 

 in going North, or early in returning, had bred in England, un- 

 less positive proof has been shown, and that proof is capable of 

 being established by those able to give it, and at the same time 

 thoroughly to be relied on. 



The notices often seen of birds having occurred I may add are 

 not unfrequently incorrect ; far fewer of us know many species 

 well enough to describe them than is thought of. I do not 



