652 Domestic Notices : — Scotland. 



Instinct of Pigeons. Speaking of the instinct of birds brings to mind tiiat 

 once I had a pair of pigeons of the croper kind from a friend. I confined them 

 about a month, with the view of breaking off the thoughts of their former home, 

 but as soon as they had their libert}' they flew towards their old habitation ; the 

 hen arrived immediately, but, strange to say, her mate did not till two years 

 afterwards. No doubt he was in confinement during that time. The flight 

 to their old place was only 4i miles, but what seems curious is, that a pigeon 

 should recollect it after two years' absence. 



Habit or Instinct of the Virginian Nightingale. I may add that a gentleman 

 told me his Virginian nightmgale imitated feeding its brood in the spring. I 

 know of no instance of ornithologists noticing such a thing, but it is a 

 question whether it be instinct or merely mechanical. If the bird had never 

 assisted in rearing, I should say instinct, but otherwise mechanical, from 

 former habits, perhaps in its native haunts. Many of our own movements, as 

 well as those of birds, especially domesticated ones, are the effects of habit. — 

 J. Wighton. Cossey Gardens, Sept.2i. 18il. 



SCOTLAND. 



Wiododendron antliopogon D. Don, Arb. Brit. vol. ii. p. 1 148. fig. 954-. — This 

 shrub has lately flowered in the Edinburgh Botanic Garden, and in great 

 vigour at Dysart House. At this place, which we had the high gratification 

 of seeing in September last, the Countess of Kosslyn has taken great pains to 

 form an unusually extensive collection of the difl^erent species and superb va- 

 rieties of 7?hododendron ; and, placed under the judicious management of the 

 gardener, Mr. Blair, they thrive and flower in a manner not surpassed in any 

 collection in Britain. Among these the rare species now described forms a 

 dense bush. It was obtained from Messrs. Loddiges five years ago, and during 

 each of the last three years it has flowered in the open border, abundantly in 

 April, and partially in August. I am not aware that it has flowered anywhere 

 else in Scotland. It is a native of the Himalaya Mountains, and extends, as 

 we are informed by Dr. Royle, along the range from Nepal to Cashmere, 

 never descending lower than 9,000 ft. above the level of the sea, but rising to 

 an elevation exceeding 14,000 ft., with the last remains of woody plants ; 

 Rhododendron lepidotum and 5'alix Lindley^??*^ alone being found in company 

 with it. (Dr. Graham, in Edin. Phit. Jour., Oct. 1841, p. 395.) 



An Agricultural Museum is about to be established in Glasgow, on the 

 same general plan as those in Stirling, Perth, and Edinburgh. Messrs. 

 Drysdale and Lawson, seedsmen in Glasgow, are announced as the " interim 

 secretaries and curators," to whom donations of every kind may be sent ; 

 and the patrons are Lord Belhaven and Sir John Maxwell, Bart., of Pollock. 



The " King\ Knote " at Stirling. — A rumour has reached us, to the effect 

 that propositions have been made to level the " King's Knote," or round 

 table, which adorns the royal park at Stirling, and transform it into a moilern 

 ornamental garden. The deed, if done, would be regarded as an act of 

 Gothic barbarity by every lover of antiquity in Scotland. But we are well 

 aware that such a proposition needs only seriously to be made to be almost 

 universally scouted. This round table is unique of its kind in the northern 

 part of the kingdom, and the round and oblong circles which are clearly de- 

 fined, point out the place of royalty, and call to mind the times when deetls 

 of courtesy and chivalry were here enacted under the eye of the princely 

 James and the fair ones of his court, who, from the " Ladies' Rock," looked 

 down upon the gay scene below. " Gray Stirling," with her towers, and 

 town, and park, are classic ground, and have afforded materials for many a 

 noble measure, from the days of quaint Sir David Lindsay to those of the 

 lamented bard of Abbotsford. We shouki, therefore, look witii honest 

 horror on any attempt to disfigure one tittle of these olden landmarks by 

 modern gewgaws. {Glasgow Herald.^ 



We were informed, when lately at Stirling, that it was the intention of the 

 "Woods and Forests" to lay out some public walks in the neighbourhood 



