at an early hour, & I have often witnessed the arrival of birds from the south—² I hope to be able to do something in this way next month. The contents of the stomachs of graminivorous birds shot in the act of arriving should be preserved (I apprehend by washing them in water and keeping the seeds, if any). These should be forwarded to you I believe without delay? If you have time perhaps you can let me soon have a line to refresh my memory on this point—

Your hint about waterfowl³ may perhaps serve as a clew to unravel a mystery which puzzled me when I was a boy.⁴ At any rate it strengthens me in the opinion I then formed on the subject. The wild mountainous district in the Western portions of the Counties of Galway & Mayo in Ireland are studded with numerous loughs some very large, & others of smaller size and at various elevations above the level of the sea. At the beginning of the present century I believe there were no pike in any of these waters— The genus salmo in all its varieties lorded it over the lesser tenants of the deep— Into one of the lakes, pike were introduced, (by a short sighted proprietor) where of course they rapidly increased— These “freshwater sharks” a few years afterwards appeared in a distant lough which had no connection by any stream with the former—in fact was at the other side of a ridge of mountains. The pike were at first very small. How did they get there? I always fancied that the cormorants which used to come up from the sea to fish on the lough & used occasionally to visit the lesser ponds & even distant mountain pools, had a hand, or rather a foot, in it. Besides the pike-spawn which might have adhered to their legs and palmated toes, these birds, which have enormous gullets, might easily disgorge the contents of their first stomach on finding more acceptable prey than what it already contained—

I fear that I have tired your patience, but like all enthusiasts I am apt to override my hobby— Ever my dear Sir yrs very faithfully | A. E. Knox