The hedge-rows, now, are rejoicing in 

 their lovely vernal liveries; and all the fea- 

 thered tribes are busily constructing their 

 nests in " pleasant places." The swallow is 

 ever on the wing ; first, skimming the air 

 and topping the water, and then assisting his 

 mate in completing her curiously -framed 

 habitation, fortified by a wall of mud. 



We are honored with the company of 

 several of these elegantly-formed visitors at 

 our own suburban dwelling ; and are de- 

 lighted to note the daily progress of their 

 architectural operations. What skill, what 

 instinct, what affection, what perseverance — 

 what perfect happiness do they not evince ! 



The thrushes, too, let us into their full 

 confidence. Not four feet removed from the 

 house, in a fir tree, a pair of these birds 

 have built their nest ; and the expectant 

 mamma eyes us, as we pass to and fro, with 

 a look which speaks (as plain as a bird's 

 looks can speak), — " Won't I astonish you 

 all, presently ? " Happy creature ! safe art 

 thou with us ; and lovingly will we protect 

 thee and thy offspring. 



A pair of robins too, which, some weeks 

 since, built in a flower-pot in our green- 

 house, have just led away their first brood, 

 and constructed another nest immediately 

 contiguous to the thrush. These birds 

 follow our footsteps all over the garden. 

 The papa never fails to sing us a song, 

 whenever he sees us ; and such a song ! His 

 cava sposa not being similarly gifted, salutes 

 us when she sees us with repeated salaams, 

 and takes especial pains to let us know that 

 she esteems us, and values our friendship. 

 We receive the same pleasing tribute of 

 confidence from the little wrens, the hedge 

 sparrows, the chaffinches, and numerous 

 other tribes by which we are surrounded. 

 Let no person try to convince us, that birds 

 are deficient in sense ; or that they are 

 unable to divine who are, and who are not, 

 friends to their tribe. We have fully proved 

 the contrary. 



While on the subject of birds — we were 

 going to be eloquent about this " month of 

 flowers" but must not — we would direct the 

 attention of our readers, when strolling in 

 the country, to the voice of each small cho- 

 rister singing to his mate. Whilst the latter 

 is breasting her warm eggs beneath the shade 

 of some retired covert, her vocal lover (made 

 vocal by the intensity of his love) sits on 

 some impending bough, and pours into her 

 listening heart the joy that will not be con- 

 tained within his own. Every strain is 

 eloquent ; every note a volume. You cannot, 

 it is true, see the performers when thus 

 reciprocating their feelings of affection, — 

 but a ready mind can find little difficulty in 

 mentally enjoying it in its fullest force. 

 Now is the very season for these enjoy- 

 ments, — and how many thousand others ! 



ORIGINAL CORRESPONDENCE. 



The Wryneck and the common Tern. — It 19 

 only recently that I have become acquainted 

 with your excellent Weekly Paper. It has 

 indeed supplied a want which has long been 

 publicly felt, viz. a medium for communica- 

 tions on Natural History. Last autumn two 

 facts came under my notice, which have greatly- 

 interested me, and which will, I trust, interest 

 the Public also. On the 11th of last October, I 

 saw a specimen of the Wryneck ( Yunx torquilla.') 

 The usual time of its departure, as specified by 

 Yarrell and others, is at the end of August or 

 early in September. This therefore was a curious 

 exception. I also saw a specimen of the common 

 Tern, on the same day. This bird was shot, and 

 brought to me, when I identified it as a young 

 specimen of its tribe. Both these birds I saw 

 at Reading. — Oxoniensis. 



[The Wryneck is the bird recognised as the 

 cuckoo's mate, because it accompanies or imme- 

 diately precedes the arrival of that bird. We 

 must all know the Wryneck, from the noise he 

 makes in early spring; his voice or cry resem- 

 bling that of the smaller species of hawks. When 

 disturbed in the nest, the hen bird looks per- 

 fectly terrific; its crest being fearfully elevated, 

 and its voice resembling the hissing of a cock 

 turkey. The Wryneck is also called the emmet 

 hunter, as it prefers that insect to all other 

 food.] 



Habits of the Hedgehog. — Being curious in all 

 that regards the natural history of animals, I 

 some time since purchased a hedgehog, — his 

 rateable value being tenpence. I kept him in 

 my garden ; and our London gardens not being 

 very large, I had plenty of opportunities for 

 watching his movements. Two days subsequently 

 to his domestication in my grounds, he disap- 

 peared altogether, — nor could I by a careful 

 search discover his whereabouts. I gave him up 

 as a dead loss ; but he was not dead, neither was 

 he lost. One showery evening, about eight 

 o'clock, I found a number of large worms lying 

 all over the garden. They were not alive, and 

 their destruction appeared to have been caused 

 by a gash inflicted about an inch from the head. 

 I at once suspected who was the offender; and 

 proceeding carefully, I detected Mr. Hedgehog in 

 the very act of murder. He had just butchered 

 a very large worm, and was retreating with him 

 into a comfortable nest under an old wall. I did 

 not disturb him, but frequently amused myself 

 by watching his destructive powers. When the 

 ground became diy, and Worms scarce, my bristly 

 friend came out to capitulate. I gave him some 

 milk, of which he partook readily; and he 

 shortly became so tame that he would let me 

 touch his face with my hand, and trot after me 

 wherever I went. Like all other "pets," he 

 came to an untimely end. I found him dead, one 

 morning, in an area. He had no doubt fallen 

 down in one of his nocturnal rambles — P. P. 



A Lamb suckled by a Spaniel.— About three 

 months since, a spaniel belonging to a neighbor 

 of mine had a litter of pups, which were all 

 destroyed. At the same time, one of his lambs 



