242 Houston's Descriptive Catalogue. 



currant bush may dislodge. I had witnessed these things 

 when a boy, and myself one of the currant gatherers ; but 

 now, however, fearing that I might have then observed imper- 

 fectly, I have asked of one still familiar with them. I append 

 his reply. — J.D. 



The robin and hedge-sparrow build their nests the earliest 

 of any birds that I am acquainted with ; they both live on 

 insects. A pair of robins had built their nest, a week ago last 

 Sunday, on John Oslar's premises ; I have no doubt that the 

 female has laid eggs* and now sits on them : if she is fortunate 

 in hatching, her brood will be fledged rather too early for 

 ripe fruit. It is true that I have seen a young robin pick a 

 currant (perhaps when in a starving state, and deserted by its 

 parent) ; but I have never yet seen an old one, or one with a 

 red breast, eat fruit of any kind. When the ground is locked 

 up by severe frost, he will boldly venture into the abode of 

 man for food and protection, when hunger will induce him to 

 make a meal of bread-crumbs. When in the garden stirring 

 the ground, Robin is sure to be there [more especially in 

 frosty weather]. If a load of dung is thrown down, you find 

 Bob ready to examine it, to see if there is any thing that fits 

 his appetite. Bob is a favourite of mine, and of all (I think 

 I may say of all) working gardeners. — J. D., sen, Waterbeach, 

 near Cambridge ', Feb. 25. 18 35. 



The Robin (Redbreast) and the Wren. — " Were it not for 

 these despised creatures [insects], the redbreast and the wren 

 would desert us." (Kirby and Spence, Introd. to Entomology, 

 4th edition, i. 288.) 



The Common Sparrow, though proscribed as a most mis- 

 chievous bird, destroys a vast number of insects. Bradley 

 has calculated that a single pair having young to maintain 

 will destroy 3360 caterpillars in a week. They also prey 

 upon butterflies and other winged insects. (Ibid., 288.) 



The Blackbird, though he will have his share of our goose- 

 berries and currants, assists greatly in clearing our gardens of 

 caterpillars. (lb., 287, 288.) See, in this Magazine, VII. 243., 

 and note*, notices of the effective agency of the thrush family, 

 which includes the blackbird, in destroying snails. 



Houston, John, M.D. M.R.I.A. Curator of the Museum of 

 the Royal College of Surgeons, &c. : — Descriptive Catalogue 

 of the Preparations in the Museum of the Royal College 

 of Surgeons in Ireland : Vol. I. Anatomy. 8vo, 250 pages. 

 Hodges and Smith, Dublin, ] 834. 



We are glad to observe that the practice of printing cata- 

 logues describing the contents of museums is increasing, as 



