122 Chronological Arrangement of fossiliferous Deposits, 



household than she could well manage. The nest was con- 

 structed carelessly, like all of the tribe, and chiefly of a little 

 of the dried grass from the immediate neighbourhood. 



I was surprised at the large size of the eggs, which, as I 

 said, were of the colour of those of the red grouse (Tetrao 

 scotica), and similarly speckled ; but they were also nearly of 

 the same size. The* gamekeeper assured us that he had seen 

 them carrying them in their claws; and Sir George Mac- 

 kenzie of CouPs gamekeeper was likewise convinced that 

 they did so, and that he had, besides, seen them carrying 

 their young : and a friend, residing near Coul, where many 

 woodcocks breed, tells me that he has more than once ob- 

 served woodcocks carrying something in "their claws, while 

 flying low, and which he could not consider as any thing else 

 than one of their young. If it be not a mistake, it is, like 

 many others, a startling fact; for, as the young leave the 

 nest, like partridges, immediately on being hatched, there 

 seems little occasion for it. That they may convey their eggs 

 to another situation I am the more inclined to believe, be- 

 cause I have been assured by shepherds that they have 

 known the ring-tailed glede (female of Falco cyaneus) remove 

 her eggs more than once when she was aware that her nest 

 was discovered. I am likewise inclined to believe that the 

 F. cyaneus lays only two eggs. 



I beg to leave some farther notices, relating to the habits 

 of the scolopax, to another time. 



Art. IV. Observations upon the chronological Arrangement of 

 jossiliferous Deposits, by a Reference to their organic Contents. 

 By William Richardson, Esq., M.D. F.G.S. 



The announcement by M. Deshayes of the principles of 

 the per-centage system, and the subsequent confirmation by 

 Mr. Lyell of the views advanced by this eminent concholo- 

 gist, were welcomed by the scientific public with marked satis- 

 faction. I was one of those who rejoiced in this accession of 

 knowledge to the fund of natural science, and felt strongly 

 assured that, by the aid which it proffered, diligence and 

 accuracy were alone requisite for establishing upon a sure 

 basis the relative succession of our tertiary deposits ; nay 

 more, the system, when fortified by new facts, appeared 

 applicable, also, to the secondary formations ; and I saw no 

 good reason for excluding from its legitimate influences the 

 earliest of the fossiliferous deposits. 



