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KIDD'S LONDON JOURNAL. 



bers of society ; whereas, cruelty, or indif- 

 ference to their little winning ways argues a 

 disposition anything but amiable, and all but 

 universally repulsive. A naturally-affec- 

 tionate disposition is our delight. Where we 

 find it, we feel " at home " in an instant. 

 Such are our sentiments. We shall proceed 

 to the discussion of our general subject next 

 week. 



REVIEW OF BOOKS. 



A Vade-mecum for Fly-Fishing for Trout ; 

 with copious Instructions for making Arti- 

 ficial Flies, dc. By. G. P. R. Pulman. 

 Third Edition. 12mo. 



This is a book which must rejoice the 

 heart of all true lovers of the Waltonian 

 sport. It is not a dry compilation from old 

 musty volumes, but the original production 

 of a heart alive to all the beauties of 

 Nature. It contains indeed, beautifully ex- 

 pressed, every possible information on the 

 subject of which it treats, with admirable 

 instructions for making Flies, and dressing 

 hooks (excellently illustrated by wood-cut 

 fac-similes) ; and it leaves nothing unsaid 

 that is at all needful to be known. This 

 alone stamps it with a lasting value. 



But we are most pleased with the amiable 

 spirit that pervades the volume ; the lover 

 of the Angle is also a lover of Nature. 

 When these go together, what a pleasant, 

 what a delightful pastime is Trout fishing ! 

 We can even now imagine ourselves, at 

 early dawn, setting out for the glorious 

 sport. But as our space is valuable, and this 

 book will keep (we must inevitably quote 

 from it again hereafter), we now content 

 ourselves with subjoining the author's rea- 

 sons for writing it. They are well worthy 

 perusal. He says — 



We have written this book from an ardent 

 love of the art on which it treats, and from the 

 desire of enabling others to partake of its mani- 

 fold enjoyments. In this work-a-day world, it 

 is something to find an innocent amusement for 

 oneself, and to contribute to the amusement of 

 others. It is contrary to the mental and phy- 

 sical conformation of mankind to labor or to 

 study incessantly — to be perpetually engaged in 

 any of the ordinary every-day affairs of life, 

 without paying the penalty in the shape of shat- 

 tered health of body or of mind. People are not 

 yet so much inured to a highly artificial state of 

 society— and never will be — as to be able to dis- 

 pense altogether with recreation ; nor have the 

 woods and fields, the mountain and the stream, 

 the birds and the flowers, and the thousand 

 other objects of all-beauteous nature, yet lost 

 their fascinating influences — however much we 

 may be involved in the intricacies of social life 

 and in the active duties which more or less de- 

 volve upon us all. There are times when brain 

 and sinew, mind and muscle, call aloud for rest 

 and change, and need recruiting ere their func- 



tions can be properly continued. An amuse- 

 ment which draws its votaries away from the 

 scenes of their labors into contact with external 

 nature, in all its innocence and beauty — which 

 supersedes the too often sensual " pleasures" 

 which can never be its efficient substitute — is a 

 blessing to the individuals who adopt it, and to 

 their connections also, so long as it is consist- 

 ently pursued. 



Such an amusement is that on which we have 

 written these chapters. In all ages some of the 

 best and wisest of men have not only been the 

 stanchest advocates of angling, but also have 

 ranked among its best and most enthusiastic 

 practitioners. It would give us unfeigned hap- 

 piness to know, at any time, that our humble 

 labors were the means of extending, however 

 little, the practice of that delightful art — of ini- 

 tiating however few into its guileless mysteries 

 — and thus of enabling them to experience those 

 pleasures which it is capable of affording so 

 largely, and which, from childhood upwards, we 

 have ourselves so abundantly enjoyed. 



When we read the above, how many 

 happy reminiscences of early days are con- 

 jured up in our imagination ! We live again, 

 in these days gone by ; and feel younger 

 than ever. Why not ? 



THE " PAIRING " OF BIRDS. 

 In Two Chapters.— Chap. II. 



The comparison which has been drawn 

 between the attachments shown in the pairing 

 of birds, and the affections of the human species, 

 is borne out by many striking corroborations, 

 but in no case is it more markedly apparent 

 than in the pigeon tribe. This natural family of 

 birds, comprising the pigeon, dove, and turtle, 

 is found, with very few exceptions, to be grega- 

 rious, living together both in the wild and do- 

 mesticated state, in large flocks. When, how- 

 ever, the season of love approaches, they pah- 

 together, and the male and female continue 

 thenceforth to manifest a degree of attachment 

 and mutual fidelity, the strength and ardor of 

 which have long been proverbial. They work 

 jointly in the construction of the nest, and after 

 this preparatory work has been completed, and 

 the female has laid her eggs, each takes by turns 

 the charge of the nest during incubation, and 

 share alike in the nurture and rearing of the 

 young. 



Contrary to the natural habits of most other 

 birds, pigeons lay only two eggs at a time, and 

 when the young pigeons have been hatched and 

 reared so as to be able to take care of themselves, 

 the faithful pair instead of separating, as is 

 usual with the feathered tribe, maintain their 

 attachment, and repeatedly incubate during the 

 year. There is something peculiarly winning in 

 the gentle cooing of the pigeon to its mate ; 

 while, when the two are together, they are seen 

 frequently putting their bills together like two fond 

 lovers, and consorting themselves with such evi- 

 dent symptoms of mutual affection that the 

 phrase " billing and cooing " has come to be a 



