My dear M^r. Darwin,

I am much obliged for your opinion on egging— The instance of Northern breeding-places of Sea-birds is very apposite—though it was well known to me—¹ There the egging is so well done—that, except in a few inaccessible spots, literally every egg is taken up to a certain date—after which the birds are no more molested.— There must be hardly any places in England if any at all where the eggs of land-birds are so completely taken—some nests & often many nearly always escaping observation— Thus in either case sufficient is left to carry on the breed.

I have looked at the passage in S^t. John’s ‘Tour’ to which you have kindly referred me—² I had forgotten its existence. What he says is to the point and a matter of opinion, but he does not enter enough into details— The experience of M^r. Rivers is valuable—³ My friend M^r. Pickard-Cambridge, of Spider fame, assures me that it is only of late years that the Bullfinches have begun to pick the buds in his own & other orchards in Dorset to any great extent.⁴ I do not see why the habits of birds are not to change. In this case it may be that some new insect infesting buds has introduced itself to the locality— We know that round oak gall has spread within the last 20 years in a wonderful way—⁵

Believe me | Y^rs. very truly | Alfred Newton