568 APPENDIX. 



a note was heard; and although we are now at the eleventh of 

 January, this favourite bird of mine has not given us a single note. 

 With the failure of the potatoes for man, there has been a total 

 failure of seeds for birds. The hawthorn has produced no fruit this 

 year, and the holly has not a single berry on it. Hence, the large 

 flocks of field-fares and red-wings, which arrived here at their usual 

 time, are much diminished ; and I fancy that the missing individuals 

 are gone far away to the south, in quest of their daily bread. Crows 

 and magpies are so pinched for something to eat, that they come 

 close to the windows, and I give them bread and potatoes. The 

 owls alone seem to enjoy themselves, and keep up a charming noc- 

 turnal concert round the house. I never in my life had so many of 

 the real hooting wood-owls ; and I may say the same of the screech- 

 owl, which inhabits the tower over the old gateway. 



I hear nothing now of Master Swain son, or of your great ornitho- 

 logist, Audubon. What is the latter about ? Did I not tell you, in 

 a former letter, of the disgraceful trick he played upon the British 

 Museum in the sale of a stuffed specimen of your wild turkey ? I 

 hear very little now on the topic of natural history. I only take in 

 the Zoologist; and I never think of writing papers in it to correct cer- 

 tain errors which appear from time to time in its pages. Should you 

 conquer and keep Mexico, what an amazing new field you will have 

 for zoology. Your Government ought to supply Titian Peale with 

 every requisite, and send him for half a dozen years to the unex- 

 plored wilds of that fertile country. I am in most superb health ; 

 and the ladies are pretty well, considering the severe weather. They 

 wish you a happy New Year, and many, many returns of it. Believe 

 me to remain, my dear friend, ever sincerely and affectionately 

 yours, CHARLES WATERTON. 



To the Same. 



WALTON HALL, Nov. igth, 1848. 



My dear Friend, When your most acceptable letter of Sept. 

 23d reached this place, we were all on our travels in order to get 



