254 NATURAL HISTORY 



came from the crop of the wood-pigeon, on which it was 

 feeding when shot: for voracious birds do not eat grain; but, 

 when devouring their quarry, with undistinguishing vehe- 

 mence swallow bones and feathers, and all matters, indis- 

 criminately. This falcon was probably driven from the 

 mountains of North Wales or Scotland, where they are known 

 to breed, bv rigorous weather and deep snows that had lately 

 fallen*. 



I am, &c. 



LETTER LVIII. 



TO THE SAME. 



MY near neighbour, a young gentleman in the service of the 

 East-India Company, has brought home a dog and a bitch of 

 the Chinese breed from Canton ; such as are fattened in that 

 country for the purpose of being eaten : they are about the 

 size of a moderate spaniel; of a pale yellow colour, with 

 coarse bristling hairs on their backs ; sharp upright ears, and 

 peaked heads, which give them a very fox-like appearance. 

 Their hind legs are unusually straight, without any bend at 

 the hock or ham, to such a degree as to give them an 

 aukward gait when they trot. When they are in motion 

 their tails are curved high over their backs like those of some 



* [About the year 1860, as I was walking with, the late Rev. Robert 

 Tindall from Empshott towards Selborne, a Peregrine falcon crossed the 

 road before us, flying from Nore Hill on our left towards a wood on our 

 right. Mr. Tindall informed me that the hobby has also been shot on 

 Nore Hill ; and I saw one in his collection from that locality. The late 

 Dr. John Curtis includes both these species as having occurred near 

 Alton. The occurrence of Montagu's harrier ( Circus cineraceus, Mont.) in 

 this neighbourhood is an interesting fact. A pair of them were shot in 

 May 1850 at Newton Valence by Mr. Eames, of Faringdon. It was 

 about the same time that I saw a bird which I believe to be of this 

 species flying across a field at the last-named place. Dr. Curtis also 

 mentions it as having occurred near Alton j and there is a stuffed speci- 

 men in the Alton Museum. T. B.] 



