418 
OBITUARY NOTICES. 
Writing to his sister again, he describes the discovery of the 
Snow Bunting, in all probability breeding on one of the mountains 
of Glen Garry, which is probably one of the first recognitions 
of this species now known to nest on several of the Scotch 
mountains. 
In a letter to his sister, dated Torndown, Loch Garry, Invernes- 
shire, July Oth, 1848, 5th day, he writes: — 
“ Some of the scenery is very mountainous and romantic. Many of the 
hills have still deep patches of snow in hollows on their northern sides near 
the summits. I made the ascent of one yesterday with much snow upon it. 
Thou mayst fancy my delight in approaching the cairn to see a bird on its 
very apex whistling away with notes sharp and clear, strange to me and 
which proved to be the Snow Bunting supposed to be confined to much more 
northern latitudes. It seemed like a little fairy sprite as it sprang into the 
air whistling on the wing and then down again, the snow-white breast, head, 
parts of the wing and outer tail feathers contrasting beautifully with the 
jet black back and ends of the wings ” 
It was during these wanderings in the remote and at that time 
unfrequented parts of Scotland that he found the Highland plaid so 
useful, a garment which he ever afterwards used; he did not ever 
possess an overcoat up to the time of his death. His Argyle-plaid 
was on one occasion stolen by a professional thief who visited Lynn. 
On this man’s arrest in another town for some other misdemeanour 
the plaid was found in his possession, and at his special request 
returned to “ Mr. Burlingham of Lynn.” 
Clearer home : — Whittlesea Mere was, in his early time, a great 
place for wild fowl. He visited it on several occasions, once with 
his ornithological friend, Mr. John Fung, in search of the Water- 
rails’ eggs which were to be found there then in great numbers. 
On that occasion they both returned with their clothes almost cut 
to pieces by the sharp blades of the Cladium mariscus which grew 
so abundantly there. He also visited Whittlesea Mere with his 
friend Edward L. King, who was not only an ornithologist but an 
entomologist, and whose special object was to obtain the Swallow- 
tailed butterfly then so plentiful in that locality. 
An excursion to Wicken Fen with Mr. Thomas Southwell in 
search of Savi’s Warbler lives still in the remembrance of those 
of us who have heard the account of it from our Ex-President 
himself.* A bird or a fen never failed to attract him, and they 
* Although not successful on this particular occasion, the nest of this bird 
was subsequently obtained from Feltwell Fen by Rev. W. M. Allen. 
