350 FRANCIS TEEVELTAN BUCKLAND. 



over the table, and, occasionally, the pony, having 

 trotted down the steps from the garden, would 

 push open the dining-room door, and career round 

 the table, with three laughing children on his 

 back ; and then, marching through the front door, 

 and down the steps, would continue his course 

 round Tom Quad. 



" In the stable yard and large wood-house were 

 the fox, rabbits, guinea-pigs, and ferrets, hawks 

 and owls, the magpie and jackdaw, besides dogs, 

 cats, and poultiy, and in the garden was the tor- 

 toise (on whose back the children would stand to 

 try its strength), and toads immured in various 

 pots, to test the truth of their supposed life in rock 

 cells." 



The boy Frank naturally developed a taste for 

 natural history in the midst of such surroundings. 

 At nine years of age, he was sent to school at Cot- 

 terstock, in Northamptonshire, and at twelve was 

 elected scholar of Winchester College. 



He tells an interesting experience on his en- 

 trance. te Immediately after chapel, the old stager 

 boys all came round the new arrivals, to examine 

 and criticise them. I perfectly recollect one boy, 

 H., to whose special care my poor confiding 

 mother had entrusted her innocent, unsuspecting 

 cub, coming up to me with a most solemn face, 

 and asking me if I had brought with me a copy 

 of the school-book, 'Pempe moron proteron.' I 

 said I had not. ' Then/ said he, ' you must borrow 

 one at once, or the doctor,' i. e. Dr. Moberly, the 



