"m:;;s ANrr> *%owkk3. 247 



Once or twice I nave seen them with little tufts of tow 

 upon their heads, but they generally keep themselves pretty 

 cunningly concealed. Jackie is well, and impudent, an 1 

 being much drenched with to-day's wet foliage, has, come 

 often into the house, and has once or twice made his way 

 to myself and table, where he arranges my notes, and turns 

 over all the new publications. The young pigeon is get. 

 ting large and fully fledged, and is spreading out its tail 

 like a peacock. I have ordered out pease instead of corn, 

 and this makes the sparrows very sulky, but is otherwise 

 a saving. The said pigeons all eat out of my banc/, and 

 battle with each other between my feet. Jonathan has 

 bedded out a variety of half -grown fuschias ana pelargo- 

 niums, just coming into flower, in the vacant space on each 

 side of the greenhouse door, which is a great improvement. 

 One likes to see him taking up such little jobs of his own 

 accord. 



" On your return you must go in to Millbank,* and see 

 the Crassula coccin eas, which are each as large as umbrellas, 

 and covered with flower from top to bottom. The garden 

 there is in excellent order throughout, but, like the (iran- 

 ton-f* one, it is not in pulling order, from the want of a 

 large supply of common things. Everything stands by 

 itseif, and is a separate thing, as if tnere was owy one of 



* The residence of Professor S^i". 



+ The abode of his brother-in-law. Sir John M'Neill 



