Mamrnifer^ous Animals, 503 



The foraging couple would be off the first thing in the morn- 

 ing, and again in the evening; and a near relative, from 

 w^hom I learn this, has known them, in one instance, to bring 

 home a half-grown rabbit. — J. D. 



The Ccmimunication of Ideas in Animals of the same Species 

 is instanced daily to all observers. I saw a very clear case of 

 it on September 15. 1833. I was crossing two meadows, or 

 paddocks, divided by a hedgerow, but connected by a gate- 

 way from which the gate was absent. Several cows were 

 grazing in the farther meadow, from whom a bull was coming 

 into the nearer meadow, to fetch up, as soon appeared, 

 two cows that had strayed behind, and were still grazing in 

 the nearer. He called to them at the gateway, and then 

 walked to them, when they ceased grazing, and walked before 

 him to the main party in the farther meadow. — J. D. 



Mammiferous Animals. — Listances of depraved Appetite 

 in Mammiferous Animals. (135 — 137.) — I have known a 

 male cat to steal away a young cat two months old, and de- 

 stroy it, and eat it almost entirely. I know not if this be a 

 frequent occurrence. I have, too, known a bull-bitch to eat 

 every one of her young ones as soon as they were born. — 

 J. J. Gelly, Montgomeryshire, March 1. 1834. 



The Marten {MustelaldmB) , — The gamekeeper of Peter 

 Du Cane, Esq., Braxted Lodge, tells me that he has caught 

 several specimens of the marten during the last few years : 

 he captured the last in a trap baited with a young rabbit. — 

 J. C. Witham, Essex, March 20. 1834. 



In The Whitehaven Herald of May 20. 1834, there is, 

 under the title of " A Scrap of Natural History," a delectable 

 description of the " personal appearance and habits " of " the 

 mart, martin, yellow-breasted mart, or sweet mart." The 

 "scrap'' occupies nearly a column. We wish the writer 

 would narrate the natural history of all the British animals 

 in like manner. This remarkable fact is mentioned : — 

 " There is at present in the possession of an inhabitant of 

 this town a couple of young marts, to which the cat belong- 

 ing to the house is performing all the tender offices of a 

 parent. . . The little creatures were blind, and about the size of 

 kittens of a corresponding age ; and, when first caught, sucked 

 milk readily, through a quill, on which they were supported 

 for two or three days, until a cat was found to discharge the 

 office of their hapless parent [which had been chased to her 

 nast or bield, driven out of it with smoke, and killed]. Puss 

 had a kitten of her own at the time, which was taken from 

 her to make room for the intruders, whom she has cherished 

 with true maternal affection. Since their capture, they have 



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