Hugh Alexander Macpherson

“ But though he could not gratify his natural ambition to scour Europe for specimens, he utilized other men to the same end, obtaining both specimens and information from correspondents in many lands. His bright genial nature won for Gesner the loyal support of all who had the privilege of knowing him. Aldrovandi, in his old age, wrote rather slightingly of Gesner, because he had arranged his history of birds alphabetically, as Prof. Newton has done in our own day. ”

“ If we limit our attention to the science of ornithology, we find that these men knew far more about the anatomy of birds than the majority of twentieth century naturalists. Not only did they observe the habits of wild birds, study their migrations, examine their crops to ascertain the nature of their food, measure their skins, investigate their changes of plumage, trace their distribution, and describe their eggs, but they paid profound attention to both the muscular system of birds and their osteology. They were nothing if not thorough in their devotion to our beloved science. ”

“ Aldrovandi was a man of active habits, fond of field-work, and a careful observer. He was also the centre of a large circle of friends, who admired his enormous learning, and delighted to present him with rare or unexpected specimens. ”

“ For such is the audacity of our Kites, that they dare to snatch bread from children, fish from women, and handkerchiefs from off hedges and out of men's hands. They are accustomed to carry off caps from off men's heads when they are building their nests."
Another admirable specimen of Turner's discriminating skill may be found in his lucid refutation of the absurd theory that the Robin (Erithacus rubecula) and the Common Redstart (Ruticilla phœnicurus) did not represent distinct species, but were in fact identical. ”

“ As many of those who were attacked by this terrible malady had already succumbed to its ravages, Gesner took leave of his acquaintances, confided his personal wishes to his most intimate friend, Henry Bullinger, and prepared for the worst. His chief anxiety was to give as little trouble as possible. "Sic qui in vita multis commodus, molestus fuit nemini." ”

“ Ornithologists have their share of "hopes deferred," and the writer has to own to many disappointments. Though it is believed that Anthus cervinus has twice occurred in the neighbourhood of the Firth in spring plumage, no specimen has ever been secured. A Black-throated Wheatear of some description has visited the vicinity of the Solway Firth in three different springs, but no final proof of its identity has been obtained. Several other species are still excluded from the ornis of this region, because their identification, in spite of much labour, is still lacking. ”

“ He was interested by two species of birds which he found in England; for of course he visited England, like Clusius and other contemporary naturalists. The first species, which was new to Belon, was the Norfolk Plover; the other was the Cornish Chough. When he recrossed the Channel he searched for Norfolk Plover, and found that this species was common to France as well as Britain. The migration of birds constantly occupied his thoughts. ”

“ The foreign garrisons must have needed trustworthy guides when they sent out parties in search of forage, for so difficult was the country, and so dangerous were the watery depths of its reed-fringed morasses, that the utmost care must have been needed to avoid ambushed parties of the enemy. ”

“ Oxford men are not disloyal, but we do envy our sister University the memory of these early naturalists, who surely owed whatever was noblest in their characters to the wise and discriminating education of their Alma Mater. ”

“ This last sentence disposes of the idea which Turner may himself have considered, that these white Herons represented one of the white species of Egrets, such as he had met with in Italy. Clearly, the white Herons which occurred in Britain must have been albinos or white varieties of the common bird, such as have been obtained in modern times. ”

“ Turner, Belon, and Gesner were all poor men, who fought their way to the front by sheer pluck and indomitable industry. Turner was born beside a Morpeth tannery about 1507; Pierre Belon belonged to some obscure household in the humble hamlet of Soulettiere, in Maine, and seems to have been about ten years junior to Turner. Conrad Gesner, a beautiful character, was born and bred in the old town of Zurich. He was born on the 26th of March, 1516. Ursus and Barbara Gesner, his parents, were plain working people. They had a large family to support upon a very meagre pittance. ”

“ This species appears to be very rare in Western Britain north of the Solway Firth. It has been said that few, if any, Grey Plovers leave England in spring from any point north of the Humber basin; but this is a mistake. The fork of the Solway may act like a funnel, to catch up such individuals as have made their way up the Irish coasts, and desire to migrate in an easterly direction. ”

“ But there is no material change in the numbers of migratory birds which appear in the neighbourhood of the Firth at different seasons of the year, and close study has enabled us to gauge of their movements with greater accuracy than would have been possible formerly. ”

“ Whatever shortcomings may be detected in the writings of William Turner, the man himself is worthy of our homage, not only as the first sturdy Englishman who essayed to study our insular fauna in a spirit of intelligent research, but also because, like Dr. ”

“ North European Forms.—Great interest attaches to certain species which appear to visit us from their breeding-grounds in the extreme north of Europe, east of the Varanger Fiord, including Cygnus bewicki, Bernicla brenta, Tringa minuta, Squatarola helvetica, Totanus fuscus. The last named is not obtained annually on the Solway Firth, but few seasons, if any, pass without its note being recognized. ”

“ This Arctic bird has never appeared in spring. S. parasiticus, on the other hand, has once appeared in spring or early summer; October is the month in which it normally occurs. Mergulus alle occurs fairly often between November and February. ”

“ Adults largely outnumber the cygnets, for Swans are very long-lived.
6. Pelagic Birds.—The wanderings of the various species of Laridæ ought, strictly speaking, to be recorded by some seafaring naturalist. Larus minutus occurs in almost every month in the vicinity of the Solway Firth. ”