Another sort of attack on yet rarer hawks is to
be chronicled. A group of nests of a very rare hawk was discovered by a naturalist in Surrey—of all unlikely counties. In order to defeat the egg collector, the eggs were marked in each nest with indelible ink ; but the device was vain. Beneath one nest the whole clutch was found smashed. An anonymous letter from the egg collector was left saying he had destroyed them because they were marked. In the sequel only one nest out of five was left unharmed ; and in this the clutch was duly hatched. Such examples as this increase one's delight in a recent conviction of a youth for taking terns' eggs ; and the Norfolk magistrates very properly inflicted the full fine, which is considerable. It is well that full publicity should be given to all such convictions.
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