2760 Insects — Quadrupeds. 



Appearance of the Locust at Bristol. — I think that Bristol remains still unnum- 

 bered among the numerous localities mentioned in the 'Zoologist' as having been 

 visited by the locust during the autumns of 1847 and 1848: it may, therefore, be 

 worth recording that a specimen was brought me on the 19th of October last, which 

 had been captured in Bristol a few days previously : it was much exhausted, and only 

 lived a short time. — P. H. Vaughan ; Redland, Bristol, January 28, 1850. 



Libellula accompanying a Ship at Sea. — " We did not remain long enough at the 

 Mauritius to allow us to collect anything of interest : our vessel picked up (apparently 

 there) three Libellulae, which remained about us for at least three weeks, hawking, 

 during the sunshine, for flies about the sides of the vessel. I could not succeed in 

 catching one of them." — Extract of a Letter dated " Peradeitia, Ceylon, January 14, 

 1850," from G. H. K. Thwaites, Esq., to W. Spence, Esq. 



Wild Cats in Britain. — In answer to your inquiry (Zool. 2721) whether I believe 

 we have two species of wild Felis or not in Britain, I must say I believe not ; and 

 ought to have said in my communication (as I had intended) that many, if not the 

 most, of what are said to be wild cats, are nothing more than the domestic cat having 

 become such : the one I mentioned as having been obtained here, and which I called 

 Felis maniculata, I believe to be nothing else. To my knowledge there have been 

 three got near this place, which I have examined, and think they were the domestic 

 cat become wild : they all varied considerably in colour: the largest was black and 

 white, and was shot by a friend of mine when out woodcock shooting ; but none of 

 them were like the one I have from Wales, which is now mounted, and is in appear- 

 ance every way a different animal. It was this impression that led me to call that 

 got here Felis maniculata, not having seen anything sufficiently strong to overturn 

 the hypothesis of Temminck, that the species discovered by Riippell in Nubia was 

 the stock from which our domestic species was descended. — Joseph Duff"; Bishop 

 Auckland, March 11, 1850. 



Curious Instinct in a Dog. — About a fortnight since, Henry Tuckett, of Frenchay, 

 was returning home, when he was arrested near the Stapleton Turnpike by the cries 

 of some women, whom two savage and half-drunken fellows were attempting to as- 

 sault. He immediately went to their assistance, and rescued them, and kindly offered 

 them his protection to Frenchay : they thankfully accepted the offer, but were followed 

 by the ruffians, who threatened and abused them and Mr. Tuckett, and would no 

 doubt, but for that gentleman's firmness, have repeated the assault. Mr. Tuckett 

 had one of them apprehended and punished by the magistrates at Lawford's Gate, 

 but the other escaped. The singular part of the story, however, is, that since that 

 night, a fine large retriever of his neighbour's, Mr. Wadham, has attached itself to 

 Mr. Tuckett, and invariably accompanies him to Bristol and back, at whatever hour 

 of the day or night he may leave, and will not upon those occasions follow any of the 

 family to which it belongs. The dog does not stay at Mr. Tuckett's, nor does it see 

 him leave the village, though, by some mysterious instinct, it ascertains the fact, and 

 overtakes him on the road, often long after he has left. Whatever stay he makes in 

 town, it will stay with him, and remain for hours outside the door of any friend he 



