Xxxi RIVERSIDE LETTERS 253 



robs a stick from his neighbour's nest for 

 his own ; but the returning rook instantly 

 detects the theft and summons another to 

 assist in administering a good pecking as 

 punishment for the offence." 



The Rev. Theodore Mayo, Quatford 

 House, Bridgnorth, in an obliging note in 

 which he refers to my mistake about the tulip 

 tree, adds : " About two months ago I went 

 to call at a house in this neighbourhood where 

 its present inhabitants have lived for thirteen 

 or fourteen years. The lady took me into 

 the garden and said : ' We are watching our 

 tulip tree with great interest to see the 

 flowers you see it is in bud.' I answered, 

 ' I am sorry to disappoint you, those are not 

 buds but seed-vessels.' I broke one and 

 showed her that it was a seed-vessel and 

 drew her attention to the peculiar aromatic 

 smell. I believe the flowers are frequently 

 overlooked, as they have been in this case. 

 They are not conspicuous, and look very 

 much like leaves prematurely dead. 



