Alexander Goodman More. [i887 



November ist. 



MY DEAR B. -HAMILTON, First let me thank you for two of the 

 finest hares I have seen : we are still feasting on soup and jugged hare. 

 By-the-way, do get a record kept scrupulously of the weights of both 

 bucks and does. Also, do your hares, at sea-level, ever change to 

 white, even partially, in snowy weather, and how long does the change 

 take in coming on ? These will be useful inquiries if you like to take 

 them up. We have two new Irish birds this winter, neither very won- 

 derful 



Gull-billed Tern,* | Lapland Lark-bunting. 



I hope you have got " The Zoologist " and " Journal of Botany." 

 I have not seen them as yet, but I think your notes will be printed. 

 You should begin now to take " The Zoologist " regularly, beginning 

 with the year in which you first contributed. You will often find a note 

 to send to it. I began when at Rugby in 1849 a good while ago, is it 

 not ? . . . . A white breast spot and also white paws are often found 



on the Black Rat. It is no sign of hybridity Sea-parrot is the 



true Puffin. I hope you will next year visit the Saltees I do 



hope that you will keep in mind how desirable it would be to persuade 

 your Harrow football players to learn the Rugby Association as well as 

 their own game. I am much better, .... and hope soon to do a little 

 work at Irish Fauna, and " Cybele," new edition. 



(November stoth.} I was glad that your two noticesf of plants and 

 Black Rat were published. There can be no doubt as to your knowing 



the Black Rat when you had made it a study But you must 



remember that natural history is so imperfectly studied by people in 

 general that they are no judges, nor could Mr. - know how easy 

 it is to tell the Black Rat if once you compare it with the brown ; and 

 as I know you intend to become a true naturalist, you must know how 

 we cannot be too careful and scrupulous in any identification. I always 

 felt pleased when anybody told me they were not sure I was right, 

 because this led me to a second scrutiny. 



About your hares, I am glad that you will undertake the weight 



question The whiteness is of the highest interest: if on the 



plains in the south some do, even partially, change in winter. As a 

 sportsman, could you ascertain anything of the relative speed which 

 is faster, and how does the running of Irish hares compare with the 

 English ? Suppose, after your next coursing meeting, you start the 

 question by a letter to "The Field." 



January ist, 1888. 



MY DEAR B. -HAMILTON, I am sorry to say you are right in your 

 conjecture. I have been so unwell all through last month that I have 

 had to give up all my usual correspondence Don't forget about 



* This afterwards proved to have been an error ("Irish Naturalist, "vol. I., p. 4). 

 t Black Rat in Wexford, " Zool." (3), xi. 425, and two notes on Wexford 

 plants in "Journal of Botany," xxv. 348. 



