54 



4. Meria RUFivENTEis, Klug , loc. cit., tab. iv. fig. 7. 



5. Meria Latreillei, Fabr., (Betliyllus). Tiphia tripunctata, 

 Punz. Tachus staphylinus, Jur. 



6. Meria dimidiata, Spin. (Tachus). 



Obs. Meria dichroa, Perty, Del. An. Art. Bras,, t. 27. /. 13, 

 haud congenerica. 



The following Notes, extracted by Sir Robert Heron, Bart., from 

 his Journal, were read. 



1814. — For a good many years I have attended to the habits of 

 Peafowl, and for the last eleven have written down my observations. 

 I find the individuals to differ as much in temper as human beings : 

 some are willing to take care of tlie young ones of others, whilst 

 some have pursued and killed them, and this whether they had a 

 brood of their own or iiot. Some cocks have assisted in the care of 

 young ones, whilst others have attacked them. An early hen fre- 

 quently has a brood herself the next year. Age makes no difference 

 in the number of the brood. I have had six from a hen a year old, 

 and one from an old hen. The hens have frequently a great j)re- 

 ference to a particular peacock. They were all so fond of an old pied 

 cock, that one j^ear, when he was confined in view, they were con- 

 stantly assembled close to the trellice walls of his prison, and would 

 not suffer a japanned peacock to touch them. On his being let out in 

 the autumn, the oldest of the hens instantly courted him, and ob- 

 tained proofs of his love in my presence. The next year he was shut 

 up in a stable, and the hens then all courted his rival ; for the ad- 

 vances in these birds are always made by the female. 



The japanned breed are, I beheve, a variety originating in En- 

 gland. In Lord Brownlow's numerous breed of common, white, and 

 pied, the japanned suddenly, in my memory, appeared amongst them. 

 The same thing happened in Sir J. Trevelyan's flock of entirely the 

 common sort ; also in a breed of common and pied given by Lady 

 Chatham to Mr. Thoroton : and in both cases to the extinction of 

 the previously existing breed. 



1821-2. — A black Poland cock, belonging to my friend and neigh- 

 bour Mr. Kendall of Barnsley, was seized last winter, near the house, 

 by a fox, but his screams being heard by the ser\'ants, he was res- 

 cued, desperately wounded, with the loss of half his feathers. In time 

 the remainder of his feathers came off, and he is now become per- 

 fectly white. Tliis seems to have some relation to the human hair 

 becoming white at once from fear. 



1827. — Mr. Reid, near York, has two Water Tortoises, brought 

 over from the siege of Belleisle, which commenced in 1761 : one of 

 them, having wandered, was missing for sixteen years, when it was 

 found on cleaning out another pond. They are both alive, and very 

 tame. 



1833, April 20. — This morning I found a large white Gold-fish 

 in great distress. A large male toad had fastened itself upon the 



