no Alexander Goodman More. [i860 



other points too I hope to attempt, you may be sure that I shall knock 

 at your door, perhaps with a longer and better yarn. So is the Ibis 

 appeased ? It has long been in my mind to make you this confession. 

 Indeed I charged a friend, who finds Grey Shrikes' eggs not perhaps 

 in a mare's nest, but in that of Collurio, to make you this apology. I 

 can only hope he was more punctual in delivering that message than he 

 appears to be in recanting his heresy. Surely the High Priest ought to 

 excommunicate the delinquent unless he do reparation to the poor 

 butcher-bird, who I hear has been complaining loudly to his Norwegian 

 friends. Would that poor Wolley were there, to bring over the message. 

 Indeed we can all sympathize most deeply in your loss of so excellent 

 a friend, so accomplished an ornither, and so eloquent a writer. It 

 may be long before we meet with such talents so well combined again. 

 As you say, such a -loss should draw us old Cantabs more closely 

 together. You must of course give the poor dear fellow a full obituary 

 notice. Do let it be well done, and I will warrant that will not be the 

 least interesting article in this year's " Ibis." Thanks for the news of your 

 brother Edward, whose friendship I was lucky enough to cultivate at 

 Cambridge. It makes me sadly envious though of the lucky ornithers 

 who can gratify all their tastes in such glorious fields. You know, 

 I dare say, that I have been overmuch addicted to Flora rather than 

 to Ibis lately. I have in preparation (i) a new pocket Flora of the 

 Isle of Wight ; (2) a critical supplement also to the celebrated Flora 

 Vectensis of Dr. Bromfield ; (3) a Fauna Vectensis for a new Guide 

 Book ; besides whipping up my old friends the birds. So that there is 

 ample work cut out here for the next two or three summers. Then for 

 the migration once more (D.V.). Will you kindly consent to assist me 

 with your advice as to the points briefly alluded to in my " Migration 

 Paper"? Indeed any criticism will be most "thankfully received 

 and acknowledged." Don't be afraid of hitting too hard, or in a tender 

 place. I am too fond of a hit myself to care at all about that. Stet 

 veritas should be our motto, and then who cares for criticism. I never 

 felt more pleased than when you wrote so fully, and yet in so friendly a 

 manner, with knowledge so far superior to mine, about "that Puflm." 

 Thank you extremely for your most liberal offer of specimens of heads ; 

 they would doubtless be of the greatest service. But as F. Bond has 

 the specimen, I should almost think the capita mortuorum might be 

 more useful to him. I have sent on to him all the information you so 

 liberally furnished, and hope to get his answer soon. He had named 

 his bird in the British Museum ; not that this can decide the question, 

 nor even the specific value, but will I hope justify the publishing of the 

 Bird. 



From this time Mr. Newton and he corresponded regu- 

 larly, and his old love of Birds seemed to assert its sway 

 more strongly than ever. Indeed very few days elapsed 

 before Mr. Newton found himself applying, not the spur, 

 but the curb to the zeal of his " convert." Grieved at 



