To J. J. Weir   5 June 1868

My dear Sir

You have answered all my questions spendidly. It was very kind, almost heroic, in you to sacrifice your hair and pay 3^d in the cause of science. But I am really very much obliged, for I never could understand “the London Fancy”.¹ I am very sorry to hear that you cannot pay us a visit at present, but as soon as you can I beg you to let me hear from you. Our plans at present are to go at the end of July to the seaside for about 5 weeks and I shall probably be here the whole rest of the year.² You will now have a long holiday from my everlasting letters, but I am thankful to say that I have got a rich harvest in the thick bundle of your answers on my table. I enclose my signature as you require³ and remain with sincere and cordial thanks

Yours very truly⁴

P.S.— If you have time will you answer me one other question.— Has the Vidua a regular and complete double annual moult, like so many grallatores, or do the long tail-feathers alone appear before breeding season, & afterwards cast off?— If, as I suspect, this is the case, do you know of any analogous cases of certain plumes alone appearing at one season without any complete moult.—⁵