Ritchie wonders if Ewart's research on plumage could be furthered by examining the succession of plumage in, for instance, a diving duck such as the Eider, as it is near enough to the mallard to promise results but not near enough to suggest identity of development. He then requests a copy of Ewart's portrait to hang in his office at Aberdeen University 'to commemorate your holding of the Aberdeen Chair'.

Ritchie provides details about a paper he has seen in Nature concerning the moulting of the Hoatzin bird from down into feathers. He wonders whether Ewart should try to obtain a loan of the specimens or a sample of the down for examination.