Suva, Fiji Islands, Nov, 12, 1923. 



Dear Folks :- 



This is the proper time and place to apologize for the contents of the 

 following epistle. You will, perchance, remember that in a letter I wrote 

 last year from South America I explained that in my studies of the Eyes and 

 Eyesight of Birds it is essential that I know something of general Ornithol- 

 ogy - a task that may well engage the life- long activities of any man. I 

 believed, and still think, that \vith a certain foundation of elementary in- 

 formation in Natural History one may, after a diligent pursuit of the subject 

 for five or six years, familiarize oneself with the main facts of bird life - 

 particularly if a reasonable part of the investigations is carried on in the 

 native habitat of the feathered animals under observation. I am painfully 

 aware that, owing chiefly to the brevity of human existence, only a very 

 small percentage of the birds of the world can thus be studied by even the 

 most active student, but if one cannot acquaint oneself with home life of 

 say, 15,000 species, let him aspire to 15001 



Another apologia for this unconnected account of our wanderings is made 

 by James Norman Hall, one of the authors of that charming book* "Faery Lands 

 of the South Seas," who has stated the correct justification for setting 

 dorm many things that are largely personal. It introduces one of his arti- 

 cles in the Atlantic Monthly :- "it has long seemed to me fitting that the 

 nomads among men should give some account of their wanderings to the Spartan 

 souls who carry on the world's work. This becomes almost an obligation on 

 the part of those who wander from choice; for they enjoy the privilege only 

 because most of their fellows forego it, that harvests may be gathered, 

 wheels kept turning, and children born and reared in something better than 

 gypsy fashion. Some attempt at a compensation must be made for the great 

 boon of freedom, of foot-looseness. Wayfarers who return disillusioned from 

 their travels should, whenever occasion offers, acknowledge the fact, to the 

 end that those who have remained behind may be the more content with their 

 home-keeping ways. As for the others who return refreshed in body and spirit 

 — well, this too, perhaps, should be as frankly admitted, if for no better 

 reason than that the Spartan souls may have the sterner enjoyment of self- 

 denial. Thus may all itinerants render some small service to Society, and — 

 those who will — take the road light-heartedly again. 



These reasons for a continued quest in general ornithology seemed to 

 me, after sober thought, to be as insistent as ever. What do I actually know 

 about the birds of Hawaii, of the South Sea Islands, of New Zealand and of 

 Australia? In reality, little. Of course one may read, even study with 

 diligence, such monographs as Wigglesworth' s Aves Polynesiae , Buller's Birds 

 of. New Zealand , Leach's, Lucas and LeSouef ' s,~ Gould' s or ' Mathews ' Birds" of 

 Australia and Wilson's Aves hawaiiense s, and compare the beautiful plates, 

 that illustrate most of them, with bird-skins in many collections, but all 

 that is only the beginning of wisdom. At least it is so in the case of an 

 individual like myself, whose one-track mind demands that if the image of an 

 animal is to be permanently impressed upon the memory - sheet it must be 

 watched while going about its daily round and in its native neighborhood. 

 Other and more fortunate observers possess a genius for acquiring this 

 adhesive form of knowledge with less trouble, but for me, especially in this 

 study of their vision, I must (appropriately, you may be tempted to interject) 

 see as many birds as possible in the very act of seeing. 



