308 MISCELLANEOUS LETTERS 



We have now got a pretty deep snow, which I find 

 very uncomfortable, though the resources of civilisation 

 in the shape of " lawn-tennis soles " to my boots enable 

 me' to get about more freely than before their in- 

 vention. 



News I have none and I am almost compelled to 

 comment upon Mr, Parnell's doings, low as that form of 

 eking out a letter would be, but even there everything 

 that can be said on the subject has been said, and 

 novelty is impossible. Guillemard has sent me a copy 

 of his " Ferdinand Magellan " and I am charmed with 

 so much of it as I have read. The story is of itself 

 most interesting and it is capitally treated by him. I 

 feel quite glad that he had some of my books to work 

 with — especially as at last I have got them safe again. 

 Do you know anything of our Canon ? I wrote to him 

 some weeks ago asking if he reaUy meant to go to the 

 Sandwich Islands, but have had no reply. It wiU be a 

 pity if he has contracted the modern habit of not 

 answering letters. 



I yesterday had from a friend a bone which he had 

 found under a Golden Eagle's nest, and on taking it to 

 the Museum I discovered to my surprise that it was a 

 Shag's, and a young one at that — so the inference must 

 be that Golden Eagles rob Shags' nests, a rather curious 

 thing. 



Wishing you. Lady Lilford and all yours the best of 

 wishes, believe me to be, 



Yours very truly, 



Alfred Newton. 



P.S. — Kiwis are too nocturnal, or at least crepus- 

 cular, to be entertaining — though years ago WoUey, my 

 brother Edward and I were much interested by watching 

 the first Apteryx that came alive to England for an 

 hour or two by the aid of a bull's-eye lantern. And we 

 stood the poor creature a drink, the first it had had 

 since its arrival and, so far as I could learn, the only 

 one it enjoyed during its long captivity. It was nice 



