1865] Letters from Ireland. 177 



course jy0?/ do, Mr. Editor, glancing with eagle-eye from one corner of 

 our favourite science to another. 



I am getting rather dry with the work attendant on preparing our 

 book on the Irish Flora. It is very hard work and monotonous ; I shall 

 be very glad when it is over, and I can get a run into the country again. 

 We have nothing but damp, fogs, and rain here. You may depend upon 

 me that I will not keep the " Ibis " waiting. I could have finished the 

 writing out by to-morrow, only I have made an engagement to look 

 through a set of plants, so shall not have my own time again until 

 Saturday. 



(February i2th.} "The brick" (shall we not rather say "brick- 

 maker") sends you herewith his small brick for your April building. 

 May it be properly ground up by our Editor so as to find a place in the 

 new Temple of Ibis, under the auspices of our able architect and new 

 High Priest (A. N.). Will our Editor kindly see whether he can find 

 out any additional inland localities or Welsh localities for the Rock 

 Dove ? I could have wished to have given the range of Chough more in 

 detail, but have not sufficiently exact particulars. Did Mr. W. Shake- 

 speare (actor and poet) mistake the Jackdaw for the Chough ?* 

 The poet's eye is apt to be generic rather than specific. Petrel and 

 Shearwater localities much wanted for South Wales, if possible, or for 

 any part of Scotland. I fancy both these breed in several islets and 

 headlands not registered. . . . Surely you are quite right as to the break 

 being better before than after Rasores, only I wished to make three 

 parts do for the details of distribution, and Part IV. (for October) a 

 general summary of results. Afterwards we can see about revised 

 county lists, continental breeding range, partial migration ; and in fact 

 the subject is nearly endless. . . . But for the sake of getting revised 

 lists and more information, do you not think that something ought to be 

 done before the next breeding season ? 



(March 6th.} I am planning an excursion into Donegal for salmon 

 and trout fishing, and a little change from book-work. There I shall 

 be completely cut off from books, so that it may be advisable, Mr. 

 Editor, that (if you wish the proofs to be properly revised) they should 

 be printed off at once for your humble servant to correct before he goes 

 into the wild country. By-the-way there "does be Eagles in it," Golden 

 and "t'other" sort. What will your honour wish me to pay for any eggs 

 I can pick up ? What is your highest bid ? And do you know any 

 climber, or ornither, in that county (the S.-W. of it) ? I shan't be here, 

 I hope, longer than another week, but of course cannot cut your 

 proofs ; so pray enable me to get away by sending them as soon as 

 possible. 



# Referring, of course, to the well-known passage in Lear; but it is now 

 admitted that the term " Chough " was in Shakespeare's day applicable to both 

 species. Prof. Newton and Mr. Harting differ (" Zoologist," 1893) as to which 

 bird was the " Russet-pated Chough " of A Midsummer-Night's Dream. 



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