306 OUT OF DOORS. 



thoroughly as the report of a gun, or is so likely to 

 deprive them of the secure retreat so necessary for their 

 well-being. Now it so happened that a number of 

 rabbits were enclosed within the wall on its completion, 

 and, for a time, they did little damage. But rabbits 

 are nearly as prolific as rats ; and, in spite of those that 

 were killed by weasels, stoats, and polecats, their 

 numbers increased in arithmetical progression, and 

 they became scarcely less hurtful to the crops than the 

 rats themselves, the turnips being almost destroyed by 

 their busy teeth. At last the mandate was issued for 

 their extirpation, and for the first time for many years 

 guns were fired and dogs roamed at large within the 

 sacred precincts. Curiously enough the result of the 

 firing was rather contrary to expectation. Confident 

 through long immunity, the birds troubled themselves 

 very little about the guns. At first they were much 

 disturbed at the unwonted sounds, but soon appeared 

 to discover that they stood in no danger, and sat look- 

 ing at the keepers and dogs with amusing composure. 

 Even the herons only moved away to the tree tops, and 

 the mallards contented themselves with leaving the 

 banks as the dogs approached, and swimming towards 

 the middle of the lake, where they paddled about in 

 conscious security. 



We have now to pass to a collateral branch of the 

 same subject, and to call attention to the wonderful 

 museum of stuffed animals which adorns the ' Home of 

 a Naturalist,' and which is prepared on a principle 



