Birds. 143 



previous, been several times seen upon the lawn at (Mrs. 

 Southwell's) Wroxham Hall, near Norwich. — J, D, 



A Common Dormouse {Myoxus avellandrius L.), with me, 

 eats, of its own choosing, the A^phis lanigera III, and the 

 caterpillars of the Sphinx ocellata L, It is particularly fond 

 of the grubs of the Balaninus nucum Get^mar, preferring, for 

 the sake of them, the maggoty nuts to the sound ones ; and 

 I have known it eat the small caterpillars which are found in 

 blackberries and pears. Are these appetites morbid ones, 

 from the animal's domesticated condition ? Cannot the 

 animal be employed to avail us in gardening objects, as the 

 caterpillars, &c., it might destroy would fully compensate the 

 little damage it could do the fruit? — John Perry, jun, Godal- 

 ming, Surrey, February, 1834. 



A Mole, of a beautiful silvery ash-grey Colour, with an 

 orange Mark under the lower Jaw, and a Line of the same 

 Colour down the Belly, taken in this Neighbourhood, was lately 

 brought to me. — It is probably the same variety as that men- 

 tioned in Griffiths's translation of Cuvier's Begne Animal as 

 occurring in Germany ; and does not appear to owe this pecu- 

 liar colour of its fur to the effect of age. Other individuals 

 of the same variety, and some also white, have been occasion- 

 ally taken by mole-catchers with whom I have conversed. — 

 W. C. Trevelyan, Wallington, Jan. 28. 1833. 



The Singing of Birds at early Dawn in Summer-time. — 



The wonders and beauties which Nature displays 



Excite to devotion the soul ; 

 Her wonders teach wisdom, her beauties prompt praise, 



Pure bliss is the fruit of the whole. 



When I lived in the cottage at the end of the garden that 

 now adjoins the house I reside in, and my business called me 

 sometimes earlier than I am now willing to leave my bed, I 

 have been delighted in a summer's morning to hear the pleas- 

 ing note of the goldfinch busy amongst the dew-bespangled 

 foliage of the apple trees ; the blackbird, perched on the 

 highest branches of the highest trees, cheering its mate with 

 its song ; the lark caroling over my head ; joined by the deep 

 bass of a contiguous colony of rooks. In moments like these, 

 I have found myself elevated and inspired with pity for those 

 to whom, according to their own declaration, " this goodly 

 frame, the earth, seems a sterile promontory," to whom " this 

 most excellent canopy the air, this brave o'erhang'd firmament, 

 this majestical roof fretted with golden fire, appears nothing 

 but a foul and pestilent congregation of vapours." At times 

 like these, I have made resolutions to rise earlier, that I might 

 the more fully enjoy the beauties and the harmony of nature : 



