282 



AUGUST. 



meadows opposite Tutbury Castle in Stafford- 

 shire., contemplating the remains of that fabric 

 which once imprisoned the Queen of Scots. 

 On the slope of the castle-hill facing me, I ob- 

 served a rabbit sitting by its burrow. Sud- 

 denly from a bush at some distance issued a 

 large weasel, and darting on with the rapidity 

 of an arrow, attempted to make its way into 

 the burrow, in which, no doubt, were the rab- 

 bit's young ones. The rabbit, with an air of 

 the utmost sang-froid, raising itself as the weasel 

 approached, received him with several smart 

 thumps upon the head. He fled back, but 

 speedily renewed the attack, and was received 

 in the same style. The assault, battery, and 

 retreat were maintained for at least a quarter 

 of an hour, when the weasel crawled away ap- 

 parently exhausted and appeared no more. 

 Such is the valour infused by parental instinct 

 into the most weak and timid creatures. 



During this month swarms of young frogs 

 released from the tadpole state of existence in 

 ditches and pools, are hopping across your 

 path, and in the evening numbers of the large 

 black beetle (geotrupus stercorarius) fly hum- 

 ming and striking against you, often in your 



