^S Queries and Answers. 



Baron de Humboldt. — 1 have frequently heard it regretted that no Eng- 

 Ksh translation has yet been announced of many of the works of this illus- 

 trious traveller and natural philosopher, such as his Tableaux de la Nature, 

 Mecueii d^ Observations de Zoologies On the Geographical Distribution of 

 Plants, On Isothermal Lines, and other detached essays and memoirs of a 

 popular character. Considering the lofty situation this incomparable author 

 occupies on the hill of science, it is surprising this has not been already 

 done ; and should the respectable publishers of the Personal Natrative, &c., 

 not be engaged in accomplishing it, I hope some competent person will take 

 the hint, and immediately set about conferring so signal- a benefit upon the 

 English reader, from which he may safely calculate upon an ample remu- 

 neration for his labours. — J. E, B. The Court near Wrexham^ Feb. 4. 1829. 



Art. IX. Queries and Anders, 



Skulls of Brutes. — Your correspondent C. (p. 209.) asks if the skulls of 

 brutes are in two tables in the manner of those of the human race. It is 

 not clear, whether by brutes he means all animals except man, or the Lin- 

 nean order of Jf^iluee ; however, in either case he will find the information 

 he wants in Cuvier*s eighth lecture on Comparative Anatomy, where he will 

 ftlso find what he does not seem aware of, viz. that the skulls of men are 

 formed of eight instead of two plates, Yours, &c. — Thos, Thompson, 

 Hull, Sept. 9. 1828. 



2 he Owl feeding on Fish. — The Rev. W. T. Bree has narrated the circum- 

 stance of the common brown owl's feeding on fish (Vol.1, p. 179), confessing 

 his ignorance of the methods by which the bird is enabled to take its prey. 

 I am as ignorant of the subject as the reverend gentleman, but I humbly 

 suggest the probability of there being a luminous appearance in the eyes of 

 the owl, by which the fish are enticed within the reach of its beak or claws. 

 Fishing by torch-light is practised in some countries : it is likely that it could 

 have derived its origin from a consideration of this kind. — J. S. Thur- 

 garton, Norfolk, April 17. 1829. 



Bearing of Pheasants. — The following observations are for the use of your 

 Correspondent from the Isle of Wight (.Vol. I. p. 500.). Pheasants may be 

 easily reared, if they are fed on boiled eggs till they are able to eat small 

 wheat, when a heap of gravel should be deposited in their coops. It is 

 usual to give them the larvae of ants, but they should never have more of 

 them at one time than they would be likely to find in the fields. I should 

 recommend the larvae of the black ant, because I think that the larvae of the 

 red ant sometimes prove fatal. I once supplied a very healthy brood of 

 pheasants with a hearty meal of them, and in less than an hour some of the 

 Wrds were dead. If I am right in classing cause and effect, this is a singular 

 fact. I accounted for it by supposing that the peculiar acid which is so pre- 

 dominant in the perfect insect, may be equally potest ia the larvae and as- 

 fatal.- Jrf. 



The Crojf;, noticed by P. H. (p. 101 .), was evidently the Royston, or Hooded^ 

 Crow (C'orvus Comix Linn.), which is a peculiar species that comes over 

 to us from the north of Europe at the approach of winter, about the same 

 time with the woodcock and other birds of passage, is seen generally in 

 pairs, and near to the sea coast, and leaves us again in the spring. — J. C. 



The Crow alluded to in p. loi. is the Hooded, or Royston, Crow, common 

 in the Isle of Thanet and parts of East Kent, C'orvus Cornix of Linnseus. — 

 Anon. Bishopsbourne, Kent, March 26. \S29. , 



Scolopax Sabin'i (in answer to A. C. R., p. 207.) — There is a very good 

 representation and description of the *i'c6lopax Sabini in the second volume 



