140 Alexander Goodman More. [ISGI 



say you (he asks Mr. Newton) to having the map dated 

 for the ' Ibis ' of next April ? as Mr. Watson strongly 

 recommended that plenty of time should be taken ; and 

 I do not think I can get in my 300 ! ! circulars in less 

 time. Shall I not be lucky to get even half this number 

 of local lists ? . . . I have sent out circulars vigorously 

 all last week." 



This was written from Bembridge (July iyth, 1861) 

 after he had had his bird-lists printed. The minute care 

 taken in the preparation even of these mere private 

 check-lists sent to his correspondents to be marked and 

 returned may to some extent be inferred from the fol- 

 lowing letter with which he forwarded a proof for Mr. 

 Newton's correction : 



June 24th, 1861. 



MY DEAR NEWTON, Not knowing your present address, nor how 

 long you purpose staying away from home, I am obliged to send the en- 

 closed to Elveden. I hope you will like the form of the list. I have 

 followed your advice in all, except that I have ventured to admit the 

 Great Sedge Warbler, on account of two instances in which the nest 

 was brought in by ignorant persons. One nest came thus into Bond's 

 hands, and I believe the history is quite complete. I hope you will 

 not find many alterations necessary, as I believe the type is set in 

 some peculiar manner which would render the insertion or omission 

 of any one bird a troublesome matter. One or two little things I 

 should like to ask you about. Ought not Redpole to be spelt Red- 

 $oll ? though I see all the books are against me. You will see I have 

 left the Osprey and Black Tern in common type, in the hope they are 

 not really quite extinct. I have been told that the Black-tailed Godwit 

 is thought to have nested this year in Cambridge or Lincoln. I am 

 promised the particulars shortly. Do you think this bird ought to be 

 removed from the "extinct," or rather " historical," section. 



I wanted sadly one more bird to make the last column even, but 

 there seemed so little choice among the " condamnes " that it did not 

 seem worth while promoting any of them again. If I had been forced 

 to choose, I think I should have taken the Little Ring Plover. Bond 

 showed me some eggs wKich Dr. Plomley had sent him, mixed with 

 and as Kentish Plovers ; but they are a good bit smaller and dif- 

 rently marked more streaked and less spotted. Can you tell me 

 anything of the Little Ring Plover ? Has it been often obtained since 

 the first occasion, and have you ever seen a British-killed specimen ? 

 I suspect the character (as given) of the markings of outer tail 

 feathers is to be obtained in the immature Ring Dotterel. But still 

 Dr. Plomley's eggs seem all right. It seems singular so little atten- 



