NATHANIEL LAWRENCE AUSTEN. six 



The result of these visits was a paper on the oyster, 

 p. 111. The facts mentioned I thoroughly endorse, 

 and I regret much that the paper remains unfinished 

 by the author. 1 



After reading Mr. Austen's papers in this little 

 book, naturalists whether young or old will see 

 that a large field of observation yet remains to be 

 worked. Our author's monograph on the "British 

 Bats/' the able paper on " Shrew-mice/' tell us 

 much that is new relative to the structure and 

 habits of these creatures, which are so rarely 

 observed. The paper on Hedgehogs (p. 139) 

 entirely dissipates the idea that they will suck 

 cows ; and after reading his humane advice relative 

 to keeping rabbits and rodents without water (pp. 

 144 and 147) much misery will be spared to these 

 unfortunate little animals, who will for the future, 

 I trust, owe a regular water-supply to the remarks 

 of Mr. Austen. 



I have not placed Mr. Austen's papers in a defi- 

 nite order. I have printed them in such a manner that 

 hardly a page can be opened without the reader 

 finding some pleasant and useful information. 



1 I am happy to be able to state that an Act of Parliament 

 was passed in the session of 1877 for regulating oyster culture. 

 The chief and most important provision of this act is a close 

 time for native oysters from the 14th May to the 4th August. 



b 



