212 METHODS OF WORK 



Picus martins seems determined to be the Sea Serpent 

 of British ornithologists ! He is always careful to keep 

 out of the way of any observer of experience, and I think 

 that until he does reveal himself to some one who is able 

 to kill him or knows him well by sight it is best not to 

 think too much of his supposed apparitions.* 



I read in some paper of the Black Woodpecker, and 

 a particularly lame story I thought it. I don't believe 

 that Lilford ever turned out any birds of this species, 

 for he, if any one, well knew it needs fir woods to live in, 

 and there are none in his neighbourhood. Beside that 

 I think he never had any number in his possession (I 

 remember one). The tendency to construct myths is 

 something wonderful ! Look how many have grown up 

 about the Gare-fowl, and many more there will be. It 

 would never surprise me to read that he had the bird 

 perhaps half a dozen birds alive on one of his ponds at 

 Lilford ! t 



On another occasion a celebrated literary personage 

 proclaimed his belief, accompanied by second-hand 

 evidence, in the well-worn legend of the mother Viper 

 swallowing her young. 



]Mj>. _ f or au ght I know may be another 

 Vesalius, John Hunter, or Von Baer ; but it is my mis- 

 fortune not to have heard of him before, so far as I 

 remember. There are some subjects that I never discuss, 

 such as Transubstantiation, Evolution, Free Trade, and 

 the Hibernation of Swallows. This old, old story belongs 

 to the same category. I have made up my mind on 

 each and all of them, and in respect of them when any- 

 body smites me on the one cheek, I hold my tongue, if 

 I do not quite fulfil the Christian precept of turning to 

 him the other also. Some years ago I most unintention- 

 ally got myself into a mess along of some Manx Cats, 

 and came in for a great amount of abuse. I at once let 

 those interesting animals alone, and, as I felt none the 



* Letter to J. A. Harvie-Brown, December 1, 1873. 

 t Letter to T. Southwell, December 22, 1902. 



