1860 j A Rejected Manuscript. 111 



" the sad fate which befell three Peregrine Falcons trapped 

 on the nest at Freshwater/' he drew up an indignant 

 protest, which he first headed, " The Ban of Hesperus," 

 and forwarded to Mr. Newton (February roth), hoping he 

 would deem it " worthy of the ' Ibis/ '" " The evil (he wrote) 

 is so crying and so likely to be repeated that no words 

 can be too strong to hurl at the offenders." " I am sure 

 you will not think the language too high-flown when you 

 think how rare the Peregrine is fast becoming, and with 

 what interest we ornithers regard and love him/' 



The protest, however, seemed to Mr. Newton too 

 passionate for the " Ibis." It was then retouched, and sent 

 in a somewhat altered form, and with a new heading, to 

 the " Zoologist," but declined by Mr. Newman also ; and so 

 remained in the obscurity which perhaps scientifically it 

 deserved. But he kept the manuscript ; and it is too 

 characteristic of the writer (zealous sportsman and col- 

 lector though he was) to be omitted here. 



" ON UNNECESSARY DESTRUCTION OF BIRDS. 



"The * Zoologist' has more than once raised its voice 

 (to some purpose we would fain believe) against the wanton 

 destruction of scarce birds. 



"At this season it is hoped that a few words of remon- 

 strance may be allowed, especially as regards the practice 

 of destroying birds at their nests, or shooting a pair when 

 they show a disposition to breed. For instance, had those 

 two pairs of Woodchats fallen to some shooter, whether 

 ignorant or not, there would have been lost the oppor- 

 tunity of recording a far more interesting fact in the nest 

 and eggs taken recently at Freshwater. So it is very much 

 to be wished that those who, this May, chance to see 

 Hoopoes, Pastors, Orioles, &c., would think twice before 

 they shoot they will be the happier for it afterwards. 



"Whether it be done in mere thoughtlessness, or that 

 the desire of possessing (or being known as the shooter of) 

 a rare species, outbalances, at the moment, every better 

 feeling : so often is the pleasure of success embittered by 

 the pang of regret that follows, so often does the shooter 



