Quadrupeds. — Birds. 3473 



Note on the singular Habit of a Cat. — With reference to the " Singular Habit of a 

 Cat" mentioned in your last number (Zool. 3452), the most reasonable conjecture I 

 can offer is, that the cat in question has been led to adopt this plan from something 

 like the following reason. A friend of mine has a cat, which, when left to herself, al- 

 ways jumps upon the breakfast-table, and commences dipping her paw in the cream- 

 jug and conveying it to her mouth, just in the manner mentioned by Mr. Smith. In 

 this case the cream-jug is too narrow to admit her head, so that she has been driven 

 by necessity to invent some other plan. Is it not probable that the other cat has been 

 led to adopt this habit in a somewhat similar way; and that when not very hungry she 

 still keeps up the habit, varying it by lapping in the usual manner when rather more 

 hungry ?—John Evans; Darley Abbey, Derby, May 4, 1852. 



Anecdote of Rats. — Though rats are generally called omnivorous, I doubt whether 

 metal is often included in the " omnia." I have now a piece of a leaden sash-weight, 

 from which about 2\ lbs. have been eaten by rats as it hung in a window-frame. If 

 you would wish to see the lead, I shall be most happy to send it for inspection. — T. 

 H. Burroughes ; Harrow-on-the-Hill, February 5, 1852. 



A Pattern for Ornithologists. — However interesting to the naturalist may be the 

 monthly perusal of the captures of rare birds, with which the pages of the ! Zoologist ' 

 abound (and undoubtedly such accounts are of great interest and value), yet to the true 

 ornithologist it is very refreshing to turn from such accounts to instances of the protec- 

 tion and care bestowed by some upon the birds, which it is his pleasure as well as his 

 province to defend. While paying a visit in another county, an instance of this care 

 came under my notice, which breathed such pure genuine love towards birds, that 1 

 cannot help repeating it, trusting that it will afford my brother naturalists some of that 

 pleasure which I confess the simple account gave me. It is this. The house at which 

 I was staying is an old hall, surrounded by very old trees ; these trees have been colo- 

 nized by rooks from time immemorial, indeed it is one of the largest rookeries I have 

 ever seen : the owner of this place having inherited it from his father, his grandfather, 

 and a whole host of ancestors, is naturally proud of his old hall, his old trees, and, 

 above all, of his rookery. The rooks are his especial favourites ; he looks upon them 

 as confiding friends, who flock around him every spring, and look to him for protec- 

 tion ; they seem to know him for their guardian, and such indeed he proves to them : 

 he loves to see them so bold and trustful that they will march about on his lawn close 

 to his windows without any fear of harm ; no sound pleases him so much as the hoarse 

 murmuring caw of some wakeful rook, as the first streaks of daylight, long before the 

 sun is seen, begin to appear in the east, or the loud calling of the huge rookery when 

 the sun is up, and the early spring morning is brilliant with his beams ; aye, although 

 their hoarse throats cheat him of many an hour's sleep, he can forgive his dear rooks 

 any offence. Hardly anything causes him so much lamentation, as when the high 

 March winds toss from their nests the half-fledged young, and they sprawl, a mourn- 

 ful spectacle, on the grass below. When the short-sighted farmers call the rooks 

 thieves and plunderers, and abuse them for crimes and misdemeanours of which they 

 are really guiltless, no one is so ready to take up the gauntlet, and do battle in their 

 behalf, as the good old Squire. Well, one day a hapless rook, by some awkward blun- 

 der contrived to get his leg hooked in the fork of a bough ; the more he fluttered and 

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