716 Retrospective Criticism. 



the beginning of winter, but to take the aiFected animals to 

 market as soon as possible; or feed upon corn, as on turnips 

 alone augments the complaint ; though those that come 

 through the winter will fatten kindly upon grass during the 

 summer months. I have certainly heard of some that were 

 even poked having been recovered by having been depastured 

 upon the salt marshes ; and once a friend told me that he had 

 cured half a dozen by administering salt and flour, as he 

 found prescribed in the Encyclopcedia Britannica, I have, 

 however, understood from a veterinary surgeon, that some 

 very satisfactory experiments, as to results, were made at the 

 veterinary college a few years ago. These, I hope, Mr.Youatt 

 will take care to make public in his forthcoming volumes (in 

 The Farmer^ s Series of the Library of Useful Knowledge) on 

 cattle and sheep. The great care of the shepherd, as may be 

 supposed, is to prevent the disease making its appearance: 

 and this is done principally by removing the stock to the 

 driest and soundest fields in the most suspicious seasons ; 

 and they are generally very successful. There appears, also, 

 something in the constitution of the stock, as the hardier 

 breeds are not so subject to it as the long-wooled Leicester 

 breed, and are depastured with safety where the latter would 

 perish. It is not a little singular, and may, perhaps, assist 

 those who would Mash to investigate the cause of the disease, 

 that the stocks upon the syenitic hills of the Cheviot, and 

 adjacent and similar soils, are considered not liable to this 

 disease ; the herds tell you their sheep may pine, but cannot 

 rot. As this has been very accurately described by the Ettrick 

 Shepherd, in the Quarterly Journal of Agriculture, those who 

 feel an interest in the investigation of the pining may consult 

 that work ; though the reasoning as to its cause is too like 

 that which was to prove the cause of Goodwin Sands being 

 Tenterden steeple. — J. C. Farmer, Nov., 1831. ''^ ^^--^ ^^'^-^'/^ 

 ,^Cats catching Swallows, (p. 84-. 273. 471.) — I haVe hea;t(d 

 it before, and 1 agree with the writer (Vol. V. p. 275.), that 

 these poor animals do not deserve the character they have ac- 

 quired. It is only the half-starved creature, which is not regu- 

 larly fed, that is given to stealing : in fact, hunger alone is the 

 cause of their propensity: even human nature is tempted in such 

 cases. Not having a complete set of your amusing Magazine 

 to refer to, I know not if you have inserted before, that cats, 

 contrary to their nature, will stand in shallow water, and catch 

 fish, in fine weather. [See Vol. IV. p. 430., Vol. V. p. 471 .] I 

 heard lately of a singular instance of instinct in a cat, belong- 

 ing to a friend of mine, who lately removed from Streatham 



