146 THE RETROSPECT. THE QUERIST. 



dustrious, hard-working people. And that which you have just heard 

 respecting Spitalfields, is also true as regards Manchester, Birmingham, 

 and many other large manufacturing towns. These exhausting dens of 

 human sinew are now lifting the veil that so blindly doomed the poor 

 factory child to a life worse than slavery. The leading men begin to ap- 

 preciate that more gain is to be extracted from healthy life, than from 

 diseased and waning strength. 



Sanitary and salutary laws have been passed by the legislature; and even 

 now, with almost over-taxed exertion, many, directly after factory hours, 

 avail themselves of the charms of entomology to pass thsir few leisure 

 hours. And it is a remarkable circumstance that some of our most 

 practical entomologists are to be found among this class. 



With such deeply interesting facts before us, is it not a commendable 

 zeal, to endeavour to win from low and dissolute pleasures, minds, capable 

 when taught by their persevering energy, to be the instructors of others." 



(To be continued.) 



€\t ' tUtmspnt 



The Great Snipe, (Scolopax major.) — The Great or Solitary Snipe is not 

 so great a rarity in this neighbourhood as Mr. Round seems to infer. I 

 know of at least a dozen specimens that have been shot in this neigh- 

 bourhood. I have one in my collection. — The Ves. Archdeacon Glover, 

 in a letter to Mr. Bree. 



The difference in sound of the cawing of Books. — The Editor of "The 

 Naturalist" has inquired of his country friends, — "Whether they do not 

 agree with him, that the sound of the cawing of the Book, in September 

 and October, has quite a different sound from the notes of the same 

 birds in the winter and spring months?" I quite agree with him in this 

 opinion, and my own observations during the September and October of the 

 last year, the winter which has followed, and the spring, now so happily 

 begun, confirms in my mind the truth of the proposition. During the former 

 period the Rooks were in great numbers over the fields, and the exceeding 

 fineness of the weather was a great inducement to visit them, which I was 

 in the habit of doing almost daily. The Rooks were to be seen feeding 

 upon the earthworms, etc., of which at that season there is a plentiful 

 supply; in close companionship with them were Jackdaws and Starlings. It 

 was curious to watch the motions of the various species; although feeding 



