346 Alexander Goodman More. [i887 



November ist. 



MY DEAR B. -HAMILTON, First let me thank you for two of the 

 finest hares I have seen : we are still feasting on soup and jugged hare. 

 By-the-way, do get a record kept scrupulously of the weights of both 

 bucks and does. Also, do your hares, at sea-level, ever change to 

 white, even partially, in snowy weather, and how long does the change 

 take in coming on ? These will be useful inquiries if you like to take 

 them up. We have two new Irish birds this winter, neither very won- 

 derful 



Gull-billed Tern,* | Lapland Lark-bunting. 



I hope you have got " The Zoologist " and "Journal of Botany." 

 I have not seen them as yet, but I think your notes will be printed. 

 You should begin now to take " The Zoologist " regularly, beginning 

 with the year in which you first contributed. You will often find a note 

 to send to it. I began when at Rugby in 1849 a good while ago, is it 

 not ? . . . . A white breast spot and also white paws are often found 



on the Black Rat, It is no sign of hybridity Sea-parrot is the 



true Puffin. I hope you will next year visit the Saltees I do 



hope that you will keep in mind how desirable it would be to persuade 

 your Harrow football players to learn the Rugby Association as well as 

 their own game. I am much better, .... and hope soon to do a little 

 work at Irish Fauna, and " Cybele," new edition. 



(November 2oth.} I was glad that your two notices! of plants and 

 Black Rat were published. There can be no doubt as to your knowing 



the Black Rat when you had made it a study But you must 



remember that natural history is so imperfectly studied by people in 



general that they are no judges, nor could Mr. know how easy 



it is to tell the Black Rat if once you compare it with the brown ; and 

 as I know you intend to become a true naturalist, you must know how 

 we cannot be too careful and scrupulous in any identification. I always 

 felt pleased when anybody told me they were not sure I was right, 

 because this led me to a second scrutiny. 



About your hares, I am glad that you will undertake the weight 



question The whiteness is of the highest interest: if on the 



lai?is in the south some do, even partially, change in winter. As a 

 sportsman, could you ascertain anything of the relative speed which 

 is faster, and how does the running of Irish hares compare with the 

 English ? Suppose, after your next coursing meeting, you start the 

 question by a letter to "The Field." 



January ist, 1888. 



MY DEAR B. -HAMILTON, I am sorry to say you are right in your 

 conjecture. I have been so unwell all through last month that I have 

 had to give up all my usual correspondence Don't forget about 



* This afterwards proved to have been an error ("Irish Naturalist, "vol. I.", p. 4). 

 t Black Rat in Wexford, " Zool." (3), xi. 425, and two notes on Wexford 

 plants in "Journal of Botany," xxv. 348. 



