296 THE LAST SUMMEES AND WINTERS. 



birds of Australia for one portion, and poor Thomson's 

 birds of Ireland for another. I am happy to say, how- 

 ever, that Isaac Taylor's article came in time after all ; 

 so my poor, though well-intentioned, substitute will not 

 be required till August. It is well, however, that it is 

 now written and out of hand. 



"Have you been as yet turning over your summer 

 plans ? If you can give us a few days here at any time 

 it will afford us great pleasure, and you might find some- 

 thing in my ill-arranged, and now seldom looked at, col- 

 lection to interest you. I have not forgotten my promise 

 as to specimens of char and salmo ferox. They are both 

 here, and I hope to get an artist en route to the Academy 

 Exhibition to take them up to the British Museum. 



"You would see that my brother John had resigned 

 his chair. We all thought it the safest course, as intel- 

 lectual labour fatigued him, and retarded his recovery. 

 Now that he has nothing to do but take care of himself, 

 I hope he will mend. He has the advantage of being 

 with my brother Robert at Woodburn, a fine, large, airy 

 dwelling near Dalkeith, and walks about a good deal 

 every day. My nephew (James Ferrier, the late pro- 

 fessor's son-in-law), who has for several years filled with 

 great acceptance the moral philosophy chair in St Andrews, 

 is a candidate for the vacant chair in Edinburgh. Dr 

 M'Cosh of Belfast, the author of a very excellent book of 



