174 Alexander Goodman More. [1864 



different engagements for me, which will, I fear, prevent my leaving 

 Ryde until the New Year. I must take my chance of finding Babington 

 at home some time in January, and then I shall hope to have the 

 pleasure of seeing you at the same time. I was very glad to find that 

 you think my paper will do. I shall be quite ready for the proof as soon 

 as you like to send it. I have just received notice of my election as a 

 member of the B. O. U. As I am sure that I owe this honour much 

 more to your friendship than to my own merits, I must beg you to accept 

 my best thanks for your kind exertions on my behalf. 



{December 6th.} In deference to your " scruples," or " incredulity," 

 shall we say ? I have altered the formula for the Goshawk. . . . You will 

 see that I have also made additions, as you wished, in both Eagles, so 

 as to make the account as complete as I can. I still think it will do to 

 leave the formula for the Osprey as it now stands, since it is hard to say 

 in which of the districts the bird is quite extinguished, and the mention 

 made of its being nearly extinct will serve this purpose. I have more 

 difficulty with the Kite. The actual returns would run thus : 



KITE. 



Prov. (i, n), in-v, vn, vni, xi, xii, (xni), xv-xvu. 

 Subprov. (1-8) (n) 12 (14) 15 (17) 18 19 20 (22, 23) 24 25 (26) 29 (30) 

 3 1 32 34 35- 



But I think this would not represent the facts much better than the 

 present form, as the estimate of different observers is so different. . . . 

 Italics being used rather to show the direction of thinning out than for 

 mere rarity, I do not think they could be satisfactorily employed in 

 this case, or for the Eagles and Osprey. The addition of " Not in 

 Ireland " is, I believe, important, and I should much like to have 

 inserted throughout some other indication respecting the sister Island, 

 e.g. " W. of Ireland," or " S.-E. of Ireland," had I known that the line 

 would admit of it, and if sufficient data had been forthcoming. At all 

 events the " Not in Ireland" will be useful. I am sorry that the printer 

 should be troubled with so many corrections, but I think they will much 

 improve the paper. 



(December i$th.} Herewith I return you the corrected proof. You 

 will see that I have remodelled the formula for Marsh Harrier, &c., so 

 as to be more in accordance with your pencil marks. As to the Types, 

 as they relate to Great Britain only, and are borrowed from Watson, 

 we must stick to his terms, though I dare say " Arctic," or " Hyper- 

 Arctic," &c., might better express the Continental range. Luckily, I 



have got a letter from , which places his reported nest in a more 



dubious light. For the present, I think the story must be dismissed so 

 as not to enter the N 08 . As to the Marsh Harrier, I have ten counties 

 entered as producing the nest occasionally or regularly, so I think the 

 Italics for rarity will do for the districts where it still survives. No 

 doubt, some of the figures might be bracketed for Buzzard, but it is 



