138 LORD LILFORD 



given by the latter to my brother. The subject 

 was one which had not till then come within the 

 range of his studies, and it was pleasant to hear 

 his expressions of interest in the new field of 

 inquiry presented to him. 



Although my brother was not a scientific 

 botanist, and did not enter into questions con- 

 cerning the structure of flowering or other 

 plants, he yet knew a good deal about them in 

 an indirect way ; for his intimate knowledge of 

 the class of birds that make plant-stuffs their 

 staple food included acquaintance with the 

 materials for their bills of fare. During happy 

 summer hours, spent in fishing on the barge 

 which had been made for his use, ' bouquets ' 

 were brought to him of the river plants from 

 either side of the Nene, and his list of ' flora ' 

 amounted to about ninety specimens. His 

 memory was naturally retentive, and quickened 

 by practice it had become an extremely useful 

 ally. The resident sub-agent at Lilford found 

 that it was scarcely necessary to bring my brother 

 plans showing portions of the estate where 

 improvements were in contemplation, since 

 every inch of the ground was well known and 



