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PART 11. 

 COLLECTANEA. 



Art. I. Zoology. 



Remarkable Physiological Fact. — A spaniel bitch, belonging to Mr. 

 Robert Scholer of Cheatham Hill, near Manchester, is at present occupied 

 in bringing up a kitten and a fawn of the fallow deer, which she attends to 

 as assiduously as if they were her own offspring. Instances of animals 

 deprived of their young attaching themselves to the progeny of other 

 species endowed with physical and mental powers differing widely from 

 their own, are of frequent occurrence ; and the warmth of affection usually 

 manifested towards the nurslings on such occasions, proves how deeply the 

 parental feelings are implanted in the inferior orders of animated beings. 

 I have known the domestic cat, for example, take charge of young squirrels 

 and young hares, which, but for the powerful influence of this active prin- 

 ciple, would, in all probability, have fallen victims to feline voracity. But 

 what renders the case before us peculiarly interesting to the physiologist is 

 the fact, that the bitch, which is only about fourteen months old, has never 

 had whelps ; the secretion of milk in her teats, therefore, can only be attri- 

 buted to the excitation induced by the repeated efforts of the kitten and 

 fawn to derive sustenance from that source. The fawn has increased in 

 growth so rapidly, that it is now considerably larger than its foster mother. 

 — J. BlacTiwalL Crumpsall Hall, Sept. 30. 1830. 



Church-going Dogs. — The shepherd's dog is one of the most intelligent 

 and useful of the canine race ; he is a constant attendant on his master, 

 and never leaves him except in the performance of his duty. In some 

 districts of Scotland this animal always accompanies him to church ; some 

 of them are even more regular attendants than their masters, for they 

 never fail resorting thither, unless employed in tending their charge. It 

 may easily be supposed that, to a stranger visituig one of the churches in 

 the pasture district, their appearance there will excite considerable interest. 

 The first time I happened to be placed in that situation I was not a little 

 astonished to see with what propriety they conducted themselves through- 

 out the greater part of the time we were in church ; but towards the close 

 one of the dogs began to show some anxiety to get away, when his master, 

 for this unmannerly conduct, very unceremoniously gave him a kick, which 

 caused him to howl," and break the peace of the assembly, and, to add to 

 his distress, some of his fellow dogs attacked him, as dogs are wont to do 

 when they hear one of their species howl. The quarrel now became so 

 alarming that the precentor was forced to leave his seat, and use his autho- 

 rity in restoring the peace ; which was done by means of a few kicks. 

 All the time of this disturbance the minister seemed very little discomfited, 

 continuing his preaching without intermission, which showed that such were 

 not rare occurrences. 



In one parish great complaints were made against the disturbances occa- 

 sioned during divine service by the quarrelling, or otherwise unmannerly 

 conduct, of the dogs, when it was agreed that all those who had dogs should 



