282 



BRITISH BIRDS. 



[VOL. XIII 



" Washington, D.C. 



May II, 1911 

 " My dear Colonel Fell den, 



" Replying to your letter about the finding of the 

 " Knot's eggs, it gives me much pleasure to send you a 

 " set of photographs of these finds. 



" These photographs I will ask you to accept with 

 " my compliments, and with onh' one reservation, namely, 

 " that they are for your personal information and 

 " satisfaction, and that 3'ou do not permit them to be 

 " used for publication until I have published an account 

 " of the finds. 



" The first nest found on June 26th (1909, H.W.F.) 

 " was located not far north of Mount Pullen, in the 

 " stretch of marshy countr}- crossed just before reaching 

 " the mountain, over the route from Floberg Beach to 

 " Cape Sheridan. 



" The second nest, found on the 27th of June, 

 " was found in the first ravine, which cuts down to the 

 " shore approximately parallel with the bed of the 

 " Sheridan River, and west of it and the small ponds, 

 " which lie near the shore, west of it. 



" From the photographs I am sure you will recognize 

 " the localities without difficulty. 



" Later on, after I have catalogued and arranged 

 " my numerous negatives of the various expeditions, 

 " I want to send you some photographs of that northern 

 " coast which, I am sure, will interest you. I am, 



" Yevy sincerely, 



Peary." 



I trust that after a lapse of nine years from the date of this 

 letter and the recent death of the distinguished writer, I 

 may be relieved from the reservation contained therein. 

 Anyhow, my object is to bring to the notice of readers of 

 British Birds the debt we owe to the ornithological researches 

 of the late Admiral Robert E. Peary. 



4 



