GEXERAL LE IIARCIIAXT. 237 



feed on ducklings. At this time I had apartments in a 

 small farmhouse about half a mile from High Wycombe, 

 being then a student at the senior department of the 

 Military College. JMy landlady having complained that 

 she had lost several of her ducklings, we decided that a 

 stoat or weasel must have carried them off. But the 

 culprit was soon discovered, for my cat was seen in the 

 act of crossing the garden with one in his mouth. Poor 

 puss soon disappeared, and I believe met with a watery 

 grave in a small stream near the house. As a sports- 

 man I was not very partial to the feline race, but 

 this cat had somehow insinuated himself into my good 

 graces. 



The Lieutenant-Governor of the Military College was 

 at this time the late General Le Marchant. Through his 

 instrumentality the senior and junior departments of the 

 Military College had been established at High Wycombe 

 and Marlow. He also introduced the sword exercise 

 into the cavalry regiments. He was an excellent cavalry 

 officer, and was killed at the battle of Salamanca, gal- 

 lantly leading on a bi'igade of heavy cavalry against a 

 column of French infantry. During the period that I 

 remained at the college, until my examination before a 

 board of officers, I received much kindness from the 

 lieutenant-governor, and it gives me sincere satisfaction 

 to offer this tribute to his memory. 



The wheatear is also a bird which subsists chiefly 

 upon the same food as the dottrell, and is equally 

 delicious. This species is met with in most parts of 

 Europe, and Latham says he has seen specimens sent to 

 England from the East Indies. 



The wheatear visits England annually in the middle 



