the Seat of Charles Waterton, Esq, 3 1 



testimony to the strict veracity that has ever characterised 

 him, and can recount not a few of his dangerous feats of 

 prowess and of daring. Few at his time of life are his equals 

 in climbing a rope or a tree : this activity of body and steadi- 

 ness of nerve give him infinite advantage over most of our 

 modern naturalists in examining the nests of many birds, 

 placed in almost inaccessible situations, and in thereby ascer- 

 taining important facts relative to their habits and character. 



During the present summer, no less than eleven times this 

 dauntless naturalist was let down the frightful beetling pre- 

 cipice of Flamborough Head, whence 



" The fishermen, that walk upon the beach, 

 Appear like mice ; and yon tall anchoring bark, 

 Diminish'd to the cock; her cock, a buoy 

 Almost too small for sight ,• " 



in order that he might collect the eggs of the guillemot, the 

 puffin, and the cormorant, and likewise examine their mode 

 of hatching and other habits. I was informed by Mr. 

 Waterton, that he has ascertained several interesting circum- 

 stances touching these sea fowl, and it is to be hoped that 

 he will send the results of these curious observations to the 

 Magazine of Natural History, whose pages are already much 

 indebted to his pen, for contributing some of the most 

 delightfully composed and valuable papers for which it is 

 distinguished ; every one must regret he does not appear 

 oftener as a contributor in it. 



To return to the objects in the museum. The fierce ill- 

 looking cayman or crocodile, on whose back Mr. Waterton 

 fearlessly mounted, while his men were dragging the monster 

 of the deep from his native element ; the snake of gigantic 

 size, which nearly cost the intrepid traveller his life, when he 

 grappled with it; splendidly beautiful plumaged species of 

 birds ; and numerous other animals, are seen, preserved in 

 such a manner as to give them an appearance of life, which 

 one can see in no other museum of natural history. The 

 art of preserving birds and animals is amply detailed in the 

 Wanderings, a detail that I should recommend all bird-* 

 stufFers and keepers of museums to study and follow; and, 

 above all, I would call upon them to visit Walton Hall, and 

 see the art carried to the highest perfection. 



Among these interesting objects, none interests more the 

 observer than the ** nondescript " animal, concerning which 

 so much has been affirmed only from conjecture. Under what 

 genus it is to be classed, Mr. Waterton best knows; as yet he 

 has not disclosed it : only one individual, we believe, has been 

 intrusted with its habits, manners, and character. 



