vii LETTERS TO MARCO 41 



north-west and very strong, that these birds 

 have come from the estuary of the Severn, 

 over the Cotswolds, to our river, and worked 

 their way down to us. They flew along 

 together backwards and forwards, exactly as 

 you describe, "like spaniels hunting a field." 

 They also uttered a shrill cry every now and 

 then, and occasionally seemed to hover like 

 the kestrel. My brother Robert had a 

 black-headed gull, and I remember that the 

 black on its head completely covered it, 

 whereas these birds had only a sort of black 

 cap. 



I am sorry you are not very fond of tulips 

 and peonies, as I like both so greatly. If 

 the weather permits, I will send Agnes some 

 of my tulips ; perhaps you will like them 

 better in the cut state than when seen as 

 planted in the abominable cockney fashion in 

 masses. The Gesner, the parrot, and the 

 cottager's tulips are much the most beautiful 

 of any, except perhaps T^dipa Greigii, or 

 Turkestan tulip, which is very early and of 



