174 LORD LILFOIID 



Plovers come to our shores whilst others are 

 sitting, I know to be a fact, as it is in the case 

 of wood-pigeons and many other northward - 

 bound birds. I envy you your bird show at 

 Abbotsbury and on the Chesil bank. We cut 

 out the little Woodpecker's nest on Thursday. 

 It contained five eggs, of which we removed 

 three.' 



To the Hon. Lady Higginson. 



' June 12, 1892. 



: ... As you do not blame me for, but 

 merely allude to the fact of my long epistolary 

 silence towards you, I will not attempt a defence 

 except so far as reminding you that I wrote 

 last ; in fact, I never leave any letter unanswered 

 for more than a day or two, and am far too fond 

 of receiving yours to omit replying to them 

 almost invariably by return of post. Don't take 

 this as in any sense intended reprovingly. You 

 have, of course, no end of things to think of and 

 write about, both on duty and pleasure, and all 

 I have to say is that I hold very precious the 

 kindly remembrance that prompts you to write 

 to me at all ; I only wish that I could show 



