94 NOTES ON ILLUSTRATIONS 



" I enclose two little crakes (Crex parva) just received 

 from Spain, and should be glad to have a drawing for 

 the book taken from it. The beak in the March-killed 

 specimen should be green, with red at base ; irides pale 

 currant red, legs and toes green, of a somewhat darker 

 shade than beak. In the September bird the only difference 

 is that the beak and legs are not so brightly coloured. 

 The surroundings should be a very watery marsh ; in 

 fact, you might make one of the birds swimming. In 

 action these little birds exactly resemble our common 

 water-hen, and jerk up their tails in walking and 

 swimming just in the fashion of that species." 



" May 2nd. 



" We are both delighted with your beautiful picture 

 of the eagle, which has just arrived. You have not only 

 admirably portrayed the characteristic aspect of the bird, 

 but thrown an element of Highland poetry into the work 

 that is not often attained, and it deserves all praise. I 

 most gladly retain it, and shall always treasure it, for my 



heart is very often in the Highlands amongst the eagles 



* 

 and the wild deer." 



"August 2\st. 



" The colour of neck and breast of water-rail is, I 

 think, now quite right. I presume that you took the 

 colour of irides from authority ; I must confess that I 

 never saw them so bright, and should have been inclined 

 to say that reddish hazel-brown was the usual colour." 



