186 1] Letters to Mr. A. Newton. 143. 



CHAPTER XX. 



LETTERS TO MR. A. NEWTON. 



[1860-61.] 



AMONG the mass of his letters to Mr. Newton, written 

 chiefly on the subject of the Bird-Cybele, are many touch- 

 ing more or less on Migration, Protection of Birds, and 

 sundry other ornithological questions. 



April qth, 1860. 



MY DEAR NEWTON, Many thanks for your kindness in replying at 

 once. . . . The review (of " Ibis," vol. I.) has been finished for a 

 week. I have given all pains I could and much time to leave nothing 

 undone. It has gone off to-day to Red Lion Court, and I hope will 

 appear in May (the birdman's month). If you have a chance, will you 

 urge on the printing ? Francis, I hear, likes my attempts, and so I shall 

 soon be in for the " Cybele Britannica." 



But you shall first have the paper for " Ibis" upon my scheme. 



Many thanks, my dear Newton, for your kind promise of your able 

 assistance, and many thanks too for so good-naturedly encouraging 

 me to return to my " meat-diet" again. I have always felt something 

 of a recreant in not having joined the Union (B.O.U.). But . ... I 

 have to invest in a new mainsail to my sailing boat this summer. I 

 wish I could get hold of you to sail with me a few of those long, hot 

 summer days, to see all the yachts, and enjoy the rush of water and the 

 cool breeze. Who would not then be a Merman ? 



. . . You were kind enough to promise to agitate for me whenever 

 I should publish in the "Field." I have published a letter, but not the 

 "Hesperian" it is entitled "Game-birds: when in season?" in 

 the Number now a fortnight old (No. 378, p. 231). Will you support 

 me ? I look to naturalists for help rather than from sportsmen ; but 

 those who have spoken to me about it seem all agreed that we com- 

 mence the Partridge Campaign far too early. Do you agree with the 

 "Shooting F.L.S." ? being likewise "Another Shooting F.L.S." I 

 hardly fear you will dissent much. 



I am sure if you follow up the first shot with a letter, which you 

 will write far more logically and scientifically than I can, we may hope 

 to agitate the subject. Don't trouble to answer until you have more 

 leisure. I have already too much trespassed upon your time lately. 

 But if you agree about the shooting question, as you are a worthy 



