286 THE NATURALIST OF THE ST. CROIX 



and the Goshawk. I want very much to see the finches 

 in order to determine whether either of the three 

 pretenders I now have are genuine. If you ever part 

 with any egg of either of these three please give me the 

 first chance unless I find I have already one of the finch's 

 eggs." 



In 1871 Mr. Boardman sent Dr. Brewer a nest and eggs 

 of some unknown bird and the latter writes him November 

 23 of that year that "it is a regular puzzler." Then 

 he says that he has gone completely through the entire 

 list of North American land birds " and there are but 

 few of our known birds to which it can possibly be 

 attributed . ' ' Giving the possibilities of the birds to which 

 they may belong he says there are objections to all of 

 them, concluding by saying : " When I go to Washing- 

 ton this winter I will take it up and talk it over with 

 Baird and let you know. But I doubt if he can see his 

 way out of the fog. What an awful pity you could not 

 have secured the bird." So far as the correspondence 

 discloses, the identity of the nest was never established. 



In 1874 Dr. Brewer wants Mr. Boardman to come to 

 Boston. " I want very much," he says, " to talk with 

 you about some of our water birds" and he sees no 

 opportunity to visit St. Stephen. In this same letter, 

 date of June 23, he writes : "I am glad you have taken 

 the nest and eggs of the collaris. It is a great prize — 

 almost unknown. Where was the nest ? On the ground 

 I presume. Please give me all the particulars. Shall 

 you have an egg to spare for your humble servant?" 

 Writing June 29, 1877, to Mr. Boardman, accompanying 

 a package of about fifty rare eggs, Dr. Brewer closes a 

 most interesting letter by saying : " How would you 



