3138 Birds. 



Dog's Head shortly after, one of whom was a medical man. By this time Cooper's 

 arm had greatly increased in size, his eyesight had nearly failed him, and his face 

 grew black. His wounds were lanced, bathed with brandy, and, in the absence of any 

 stronger remedy, a large quantity of raw brandy was administered to him internally. 

 For may hours the poor man was in great danger, but ultimately the antidote tri- 

 umphed over the bane ; and the next morning nothing remained but a little swelling 

 of the arm below the elbow, and some soreness in the spur-wounds. An hour after 

 the platypus was killed, we were able to squeeze some liquid out of its spurs, but were 

 not able to test its effect on any living thing." — Hobart Town Courier. 



The Cockney House Sparrow and the Early Breakfast-shop* 



My Dear Gough, 



You know that Wordsworth describes London as a "wil- 

 derness of building," and no better description can surely be given of 

 this huge Babylon. The human habitations of London are upwards 

 of 300,000, and, adding to this number all other descriptions of build- 

 ings, you make up a sum of Jive hundred thousand — half a million of 

 edifices ; a " wilderness of building ! " 



It is a curious fact — first noticed, I believe, by the celebrated Hone 

 — that in every street in the city of London you may find a tree', or 

 catch sight of a tree. I thought this so improbable, that I have wan- 

 dered through many a street to test its accuracy ; and I believe it is 

 almost a true saying. Still, London does not by any means present a 

 sylvan aspect, for as " one swallow does not make a summer," so one 

 tree does not make a sylvan street ! 



Tavistock-square, St. Pancras, is in the very centre of this huge 

 metropolis, being one of the " lungs " and therefore properly located 

 in the " chest" of the sprawling giant town. At the south-east corner 

 of this square stands a solitary plane tree, well freighted with branches 

 and with foliage in the season. Throughout the spring and summer 

 this plane tree is vocal all day long with the simple song of the house 

 sparrow (Fringilla domestica). So numerous are these birds among 

 the leaves in summer, that the tree is literally alive and black with 

 them, and many a scuffle takes place on some of the shadiest twigs 

 for standing room. The summer sun, daily coursing from the zenith 

 to his western horizon, pours his hottest beams upon this place, and 

 the surrounding buildings converge them to a focus, straight upon 



* In a Latter from Cornelius Nicholson, London, to Thos. Gough, Esq., Kendal, 

 April 3, I860. Head at the Kendal Natural History Society, and communicated by 

 William Spcnce, Esq., F.R.S. 



