EXTRACTS FROM CORRESPONDENCE. 231 



reasonable to suppose they would dine off eggs rather than go without din- 

 ner at all. 



While sauntering, a few days ago, down a favourite gi*een lane watching a 

 couple of Herons slowly wending through the air, cruelly mobbed by a 

 flock of Books, a large Rat ran across my path evidently in great distress, 

 and presently, following in its track, appeared a little Weasel in pursuit. 

 I saw no more of them ; but from the exhausted state of the Rat, I have no 

 doubt it was soon caught. What astonishing perseverance these little 

 creatures show in pursuit of their prey, it is almost impossible to drive them 

 from it. I remember, a few weeks since, in one of my early morning walks, 

 seeing one of them dragging across the road, a few yards before me, a large 

 Rat, which was still quite warm ; the little creature abandoned its prey on 

 my approach, but sat in a ditch near watching ; and I had not gone away 

 more than ten yards, when out it came again and carried aAvay the Rat by 

 the neck. I remember also once an instance of one of them attacking a 

 full grown Hare, which it must have caught as it lay asleep ; — attracted by 

 the animal's cries, I ran up to the spot and put an end to the sti-ife. The 

 Hare was not much injured, and both of them got away. 



A friend of mine, a few days ago, related the following interesting anec- 

 dote : He was walking by the side of one of the broad drains in the Lin- 

 colnshire Fens, Avhen his dog suddenly made a pounce at something in the 

 water, and, after a little splashing, landed a small Jack, which had got into 

 shallow water and could not make his escape. My old dog shewed himself 

 rather more than usually sagacious a few days since ; he was thirsty, and 

 the ground being quite hard from the night's frost, and a coating of ice on 

 the road-side pools, he made use of his paw as a hammer, and after breaking 

 a small hole, quietly drank his fill. 



I have been to-day to see a Gannet, P.Bassanus, which was shot near here, 

 skinned by a bird-stuffer. Its structure is most curious ; on the under parts 

 of the body, the skin does not, as in all other birds I have ever seen, adhere 

 to the flesh, except down the centre of the breast-bone, where it is, as usual, 

 fixed. No doubt these cavities can be filled with air at will, and assist in 

 making the bird more buoyant on the water, and so facilitate the pursuit of 

 Herrings and other fish upon which it feeds. I see, on referring to Mon- 

 tagu, that he supposes the intermediate air preserves it alike from cold and 

 heat, and so keeps up a necessary temperature. It is strange that Montagu 

 is the only author among the few, whose works I possess, who takes notice 

 of this great peculiarity in the formation of this bird. Yarrell, M'Gillavey, 

 and old Bewick all pass it over in silence. 



Your anecdotes of the dog are interesting ; but I heard one, a few days 

 ago, much more extraordinary, indeed almost, if not quite beyond belief, 



