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KIDD'S OWN JOURNAL. 



foxes, wolves, monkeys, badgers — in fact, every- 

 thing appertaining to the qualification of " Pur- 

 veyor in General" to the sports and pastimes of 

 the many " fast men" who there congregate; 

 and who too often, even after they have " got 

 through Little-go," are not inaptly styled " Fresh 

 men." Having gratified my curiosity thus far, 

 we entered the kitchen — a large, square, and 

 rather lofty room. Here we found, quite at home, 

 some guinea-pigs, which a monkey was then 

 handling very affectionately ; some pigeons 

 brought up by hand, and several beautiful cana- 

 ries. But what struck me as being very injurious 

 to the feathered tribe, was — an immense fire of 

 peat and coal. This, added to the loud laugh, 

 and boisterous vociferations of half a dozen men 

 who were blowing out such clouds of smoke from 

 their pipes and mouths as would have suffocated 

 a tyro, made me never forget " that kitchen." 

 How those men did drink too ! They seemed to 

 think that the smoke and liquors should be in 

 equal proportions. In fact, " a real Cambridge 

 man" seldom meets his equal — especially in ale 

 drinking. Thus may we readily account for the 

 innumerable blotchy and bloated countenances 

 for which that town is so noted. The smoke to 

 which I have alluded, and the frightful hubbub, 

 did not at all deter the pigeon from frequenting 

 its quaint and unnatural retreat. The only 

 thing that could keep it out, was the shutting to 

 of the door. Once, by way of experiment, 

 several men stood in the passage leading to the 

 kitchen, while a great many others stood outside. 

 It was Fair time, and the men, of course, all 

 " fresh" and noisy. If hideous sounds, and 

 roystering revelry could frighten or annihilate a 

 poor pigeon, here they were in excess. Still our 

 winged friend appeared as usual. Fluttering gently 

 over the heads of the revellers, it made its way 

 direct to the canary cage in the corner, and here, 

 as was its wont, it took up its abode for the night, 

 unmoved by smoke, noise, and hubbub. Every 

 morning on the early opening of the doors, out it 

 flew, and joined the flock to which it belongs. 

 When we arrived it was late; and the pigeon was 

 expected every moment. Waiting outside for 

 about ten minutes, I observed an immense flock of 

 pigeons on the wing, rapidly flying homewards. 

 On reaching within about fifty yards of the house, 

 I saw one bird detach itself from the rest ; and 

 coming direct towards the door (after fluttering 

 over our heads), it glided gently in through the 

 door-way. On entering, there it sat on its 

 accustomed seat, — pluming its feathers, and look- 

 ing happily around, as if conscious it formed an 

 important member of the assembled guests. This 

 is, I believe, one of the most remarkable circum- 

 stances known of a common dove-house pigeon 

 claiming the protection or shelter of a kitchen, in 

 preference to its natural home. And what makes 

 it more remarkable, is the fact that it never was 

 trained to do so, or even brought up by hand ; 

 but came of its own accord. Whether it first 

 sought that refuge in preference to being devoured 

 by a hawk, and ever after retained it out of gra- 

 titude, is a matter of conjecture to myself as well 

 as others. If not dead, I feel sure it may even 

 now be seen, any evening a little before dusk, by 

 such persons as will take the trouble to call at 

 Mr. Tarrant's. — Wm. Molyneux, Hyde, L W. 



[Your account of this pigeon is very interest- 

 ing. We are as much puzzled about two other 

 pigeons, whose habits are equally singular. They 

 will not sleep out of doors, unless driven 

 out and locked out. They refuse to enter 

 any dove-cot, and will make the dwelling- 

 house of their owners their own home. We 

 must confess there are good reasons for the 

 attachment of these birds to the house, for they 

 are " petted" exceedingly. Their lovely young 

 mistress, Leonora, as we have recorded (ante p. 

 170), has won all^their affections to herself. They 

 love her so tenderly, that where she is, there they 

 will be. They are milk white, and certainly 

 most loveable creatures. We went down ex- 

 pressly to see them a few weeks since, and were 

 truly delighted to note the amiability of their 

 disposition. They daily associate with their own 

 tribes, as does the one you particularise ; but 

 they will have a " separate home" of their own. 

 We again say, we cannot wonder at it. They 

 have inducement of no common kind ; and we 

 can readily account for their attachment to one 

 who so dearly loves them. They indeed set " an 

 example" that ought to be generally followed. 

 We wonder if it would be doing wrong, were we 

 to wish to be a " milk-white pigeon !" 



Large Mushrooms. — Whilst on a recent visit to 

 Derbyshire, I met with some very large mush- 

 rooms, — in every respect similar to our common 

 ones, but very thick, and from three to four inches 

 in diameter. The country people call them 

 horse mushrooms, and deem them poisonous. 

 However, passing subsequently through a well- 

 known town in Staffordshire, I found a woman 

 selling the very same kind of mushrooms. She 

 demanded 2s. 6d. for a small-sized basket, and 

 said they were excellent for making catsup. I 

 found them growing in fairy rings, like fungi, 

 but the smell and shape indicated what they 

 were. As there are many conflicting opinions 

 about these mushrooms, please let me ask, 

 through the medium of Our Journal — first 

 whether they are a distinct species from the or- 

 dinary mushroom ; and secondly, are they whole- 

 some and fit for food? — G. P., Tipton. 



The Beneficence and Grandeur of Nature. — 

 Who shall record, Mr. Editor, nay who can com- 

 prehend the mysteries of creation, and the invisi- 

 ble Power that moves and directs all ? Ever 

 attentive to her interests, nature replaces in one 

 spot what she has displaced in another. Ever 

 attentive to beauty, and desirous of resolving all 

 things into their original dependence on herself, 

 she permits moss to creep over the prostrate 

 column, and ivy to wave upon the time-worn 

 battlement. Time, with its gradual but incessant 

 touch, withers the ivy, and pulverises the battle- 

 ment. But Nature, ever magnificent in her de- 

 signs! — who conceives and executes in one and 

 the same moment; whose veil no one has been 

 able to uplift; whose progress is more swift than 

 time, and more subtle than motion; and whose 

 theatre is an orbit of incalculable diameter, and 

 of effect so instantaneous as to annihilate all idea of 

 gradation; jealous of prerogative, and studious 

 of her creations, — expands as it were with one 

 hand what she compresses with another. Always 



