236 THK NATURAI^IST OF THE ST. CROIX 



some dispute with the bird men about the Black Guillemot chang- 

 ing its plumage in winter. All the books say it does. Not long 

 since Dr. Coues wrote a paper to the Academy of Natural Sciences 

 in Philadelphia about the subject, which would be all very nice if 

 true. I get the birds any time in winter in full black plumage. 

 Hoping to hear from you always at your convenience, I am 



Yours truly, 



Geo. a. Boardman. 



MiLLTOWN, 28 January, 1867. 

 Dear Dr. Wood: 



1 last night received your letter of January 19 one week 

 on the passage. I am very glad you are all right again. I have 

 been thinking about you for some time and was afraid you might 

 have had more trouble with your head, but know it is all right 

 when you can be interested in birds and eggs. 



I notice what you say about your collection of mounted birds. 

 I have no doubt it is very fine, but until I see it, I shall hardly 

 believe it as good as mine. I think I can beat you upon water 

 birds, rare ducks, grebes, geese, waders, etc. I have them in dif- 

 ferent plumage, and of many of them the chicks. We have a good 

 chance for water birds. My eagles, hawks and owls are hard 

 to beat. I have fifteen different kinds of hawks and ten of owls, 

 of our locality, all nicely mounted. Amongst them are three Gyr- 

 falcons and five Duck Hawks, done up in dlffierent attitudes and 

 plumage; seven very fine eagles, Golden and Wliite-head, done the 

 same way; my small birds are very good. I have also some very 

 fine horns, heads, etc. ; heads of deer, caribou, moose and some 

 African horns, heads, etc. T only mention those to see if I can- 

 not induce you some time to take a trip down East. Besides, I 

 have some very good eggs, but I do not care so much for eggs as 

 for birds. 1 think a good collection of horns very interesting. I 

 have moose horns that weigh about fifty pounds, five feet wide 

 with thirty-eight points upon them ; caribou horns with thirty- 

 five points, etc. I think you must come 1 How about the snow 

 storm? We can beat you at that. The first mail we have had 

 since the 17th of January, a week ago Thursday, ten days, was 

 j'esterday. We get telegraph news every day, as the snow is not 

 quite over the telegraph poles, but it is very deep. I want very 



