The delay has not signified at all, as my work has turned out ten times as long as I expected. I like the general appearance of the cut, but it is so far from doing justice to your original & quite accurate drawing, that it is of no use to me, & I cannot publish it, unless it can be corrected. My object is to show an intermediate step in the formation of a perfect ocellus.² Now pray compare the middle one, on the cut, with this on the feather clearly marked by an ink cross.— You will see the black ring consists of 4 separate & defined portions: in the cut, there is only one break in the ring & the whole upper part very continuous & ill-defined or hazy. So it is but in a less bad degree with a drawing of the ocelli above & below; the black rings in the upper part, being in each case continuous & with hazy margin. I am very anxious to be able to give your drawing; will you therefore be so kind as to see M^r Pearson³ & consult with him whether the cut can be rectified; & after you yourself have compared a corrected proof with the feather, & are satisfied please let me see it with the feather.— If it w^d make the correction more easy, 2 of the ocelli would be sufficient; & these might be cut cleanly I can publish only what is correct. I am heartily sorry to trouble you thus, as your drawing was perfect: but the trouble is caused solely by the engraver. W^d it not be well for the engraver to have the feather?—

When you write again pray tell me how your health is, for I had a bad account of you from D^r G. some time ago.—⁴ Do not take time to reply to