FIRST VISIT TO CAMBRIDGE 7 



day in February, 1845, he went with his father to 

 Cambridge. He wrote from Stetchworth on March 1 : 



MY DEAREST TEDGE, 



I must give you a long letter concerning my 

 doings at Cambridge. I spent my whole time, 3j hours, 

 in the Museum of the Phil. Soc.* I took one of my old 

 notebooks and a pencil and sketched the most striking 

 of the birds, writing down by the side the colours, etc. 

 The most beautiful British bird was the Indian Bee-eater, 

 of which I send you a coloured drawing. I also send you 

 a drawing of the Great Bustard, of which they have 4 

 specimens, 2 m. and 2 f . ; it is the most magnificent bird 

 I ever saw except the Capercaillie, the colours of which 

 were too difficult for me to draw. They have three 

 specimens of the Otis tetrax, a very pretty bird. There is 

 a magnificent Golden Eagle. I am now quite certain 

 that our bird is the Linota montium and not Linota 

 cannabina. Our Redpoll is also a (young) male bird and, 

 of course, it retains its immature plumage. The birds 

 are, with the exception of a few old specimens, very well 

 stuffed. A word now about the eggs, which are not 

 much, the Falco peregrinus and Otis tarda being the lions ; 

 I was much disappointed with that part of the Museum. 

 I was surprised at not seeing a specimen of the Regulus 

 ignicapellus there, as Mr. Jenyns is the premier with 

 regard to the Nat. Hist, department. They have a few 

 works on Nat. Hist., most presented by their authors. 

 Audubon's " American Ornithology " is a daub. The 

 " Nat. Hist, of the Voyage of H.M.S. Adventurer and 

 Beagle," is a beautiful book. There is also a book by 

 the author of " Taxidermy," on Freshwater Fishes, 

 coloured by hand. I was rather disappointed in seeing 

 the Kittiwake there, for unless it is an adult male in 

 breeding plumage (which is snow-white) I don't think 

 it is a very handsome bird. It is now quite dark, so 

 good-bye, dearest Tedge. 



I am your most affectionate brother, 



TAFF. 



* House in All Saints Passage, now the Hawks Club. 



