350 MISCELLANEOUS OBSERVATIONS 



laid, which the male and female took it by turns 

 to sit upon. The young bird, when hatched, was 

 covered with down, which changed to a spotted 

 grey. The old birds began to make a second nest 

 but no egg had been laid in it when my account 

 was sent. This is the only instance I have met with 

 of gulls breeding while in a state of confinement. 



Quails are found in Sutherlandshire, and it is 

 by no means uncommon to find them in Moray- 

 shire. They are, also, occasionally found in Ireland. 



We have the best evidence to prove, that Fish 

 and molluscous animals may be frozen without 

 destroying their vitality. A. gentleman, at Cam- 

 berwell, had an inflamed eye during a severe win- 

 ter, and a Leach was applied to the temple several 

 times. It was kept in water, in a vial, placed near 

 the fire-place of the parlour, but the cold at that 

 time was so severe, that the leach was frozen every 

 night, and thawed the following day. Captain 

 Franklyn, also, mentions, that during the severe 

 winter he experienced near the Copper - Mine 

 river, the fish froze as they were taken out of the 

 nets, and in a short time became a solid mass of 

 ice. In this state, by a blow or two of the hatchet, 

 they were easily split open. If, however, in this 

 completely frozen state they were thawed before 

 the fire, they recovered their animation. 



