CHAPTER OF VARIETIES. 187 



over the river, would it not condense the vapour? Though water does not 

 BOIL without heat, it would be too much to say it does not evaporate ; or, 

 in other words, that no vapour rises from it when the air is above the 

 freezing point. Upon the whole question I think we must allow that 

 evaporation is constantly going on from the vast bodies of water on the 

 surface of the globe, though its condensation, on which its visibility de- 

 pends, must always be regulated by the temperature of the atmosphere, 

 as before explained. E. G. BALLARD. 

 Islington. 



ANECDOTE OF A CAT. The collecting together and recording of a 

 variety of curious facts and occurrences, which would otherwise be 

 forgotten and lost, is certainly one of the principal objects and advan- 

 tages of a magazine of a natural history ; and as various remarkable 

 incidents cannot but continually occur to every student of nature, it 

 behoves all who are interested in the science to avail themselves of the 

 opportunity thus afforded them, to make known their observations to 

 the world. The following instance of remarkable cunning, or rather 

 sagacity, in the domestic cat, is worthy the attention of the naturalist : 

 A cat, belonging to the Castle public-house, Tooting, is in the con- 

 stant habit, whenever the poultry are fed, of crouching herself in the 

 midst of the fowls, whilst they are all collected together round their 

 food ; by this artifice she very frequently contrives to seize some unfor- 

 tunate sparrow, who, descending for his share of the grain, little sus- 

 pects his ready foe to be lurking in such a strange hiding-place. 



Tooting. EDWAIID BLYTH. 



SINGULAR LAYING OF THE BARN OWL. A curious fact has been 

 related to me respecting the barn owl, and it is well attested by several 

 credible witnesses. A nest of that bird last summer, in this neighbour- 

 hood, contained two eggs, and when these were hatched two more 

 were laid, which latter were probably hatched by the warmth of the 

 young birds ; a third laying took place after the latter were hatched, 

 and the nest at last contained six young owls of three different ages, 

 which were all reared. EDWARD BLYTH. 



Tooting. 



ON THE HAWFINCH AND BRA MBLEFiNCH. I have now in con- 

 finement a beautiful cock hawfinch ; but he is a sad cripple, having 

 nearly lost the use of his limbs ; he eats very heartily, but I fear it will 

 take a considerable time before he recovers his strength. Day after 

 day passes on and I can hardly perceive any alteration ; but he cer- 



