32 Some Account of Walton Hall, 



On leaving the house, and its island, and its old ivied tower, 

 we next enter upon the park. This piece of ground embraces 

 almost 300 acres, surrounded by a high wall to keep out the 

 poacher and other intruder. As no gun is ever fired within 

 its precincts, that 



" clamour of rooks, daws, and kites, 



The explosion of the levell'd tube excites," 



is never heard, nor any dog suffered to disturb its peace, it 

 may easily be supposed it will be the favourite resort of many 

 kinds of birds. Abounding in extensive woods and groves, 

 and an ample space of water, every fowl can suit its own 

 taste for a sheltering-place, for a haunt to build its nest, 

 and rear its little brood ; all those birds which elsewhere 

 suffer from the gamekeeper's ruthless gun and trap, and from 

 those whom the bird-staffer employs to take them prisoners, 

 receive protection within the walls of Walton Park. The 

 owl is an especial favourite. Besides our slumbering two 

 friends, whom we left in the old ivied tower in the island, 

 eleven pairs of others occupy holes in trees, and other com- 

 fortable dormitories, purposely contrived and fitted up for 

 their dwelling-places. It is not a little curious to observe, 

 that, if these " wanderers " of the night be offered an un- 

 molested habitation, a pair are not long in finding it out, and 

 taking possession of it. Mr. Waterton, from his careful and 

 accurate examination of the habits of the owl, has clearly 

 exculpated it from the false charges and foul calumnies, 

 aspersing its spotless reputation, of being the destroyer of 

 young pigeons and their eggs. The same friendly turn he has 

 done for the starling. Both these birds often are indwellers 

 of the pigeon cote, not from a preference of it to any other 

 harbour, but because the destroying hand of man has left 

 them scarce another spot to retire to, and to breed up their 

 young. 



Many other calumnies, heaped upon others of the unof- 

 fending birds and animals, when closely scrutinised, will no 

 doubt be found to rest on equally untenable grounds as those 

 affecting the character of the poor owl and starling. 



No animal is more wronged and sinned against, than the 

 harmless but much slandered hedgehog. The rook equally 

 comes in for his share : though we verily believe that both 

 will be found most useful servants of man. The former has 

 often been unjustly criminated by the gamekeeper, as being a 

 depredator of his game ; and by the farmer, as milking his 

 cow : the gardener, who joins in the hue and cry against this 

 inoffensive animal, will find the hedgehog a valuable assistant 

 in clearing his garden of many insects, noxious to his plants 



