CORRESPONDENCE 253 



advertised for before late in July. I am however in the mean- 

 while picking up good things here and there and have secured a 

 magnificent egg of the Golden Eagle, not as generally seen, 

 nearly white, but richly clouded with reddish. It arrived with 

 some African eggs from Paris last week and I am promised 

 another before long which I will also keep for you. I have some 

 more Reeves, Gallinules, Coot and other eggs asked for by you, 

 all in your drawer waiting a chance to pack them up and also 

 another bird or two but these latter I get slower as I only want to 

 get good mounted specimens if possible, as I know your collection 

 is all mounted. I will send the quails you ask for out of my Texas 

 duplicates. I have not many duplicates of anything, but whatever 

 I have you may be sure you shall have willingly. I should have had 

 more but the difficulty in bringing back skins is so great. Could 

 you ever get me any skins of the Plumed or Mountain Quail 

 (O. pictus) and Gambel's Quail, as I have all but these two in 

 my collection and would like the lot complete. I think they would 

 make a good case well mounted vnth rock work and under a big 

 shade. As for the glass topped boxes, I don't see any reason why 

 I should not pack eggs in them, for even if there is duty on them 

 it would be a trifle and if sent to St. John my brother could easily 

 settle that. Anyhow, if I send via St. John I will try it on for 1 

 feel sure no fuss could be made if one stated how many boxes 

 there were and left one on the top as a sample. 



I think if you once began with this dodge you would never 

 arrange your eggs otherwise. I have my cabinet arranged now 

 and am pleased beyond my expectations. 



I would keep your Hooded Merganser's nest very close or you 

 will have every person after you for the eggs. I will gladly give 

 you anything you wish for in exchange for the eggs you can 

 spare, Golden Eagle, Iceland Falcon or indeed anything I can 

 procure here and have in anticipation written everywhere I can 

 think of, asking for Golden Eagle's eggs so must get some more. 



I was elected a member of the British Ornithologists' Union 

 (the same that give out The Ibis) last week and am busy preparing 

 notes on the Ornithology of Texas for the press and will send you 

 a copy of it as it comes out if I can get the editor to have some 

 loose copies struck off, which I don't doubt of doing. I give it 



