104 



CHAPTER OF VARIETIES. 



gether in the centre, appeared to be formed into one, of larger dimen- 

 sions than the other two. The scull &c. I have preserved in spirits, 

 and the skin has been stuffed by Mr. John Ware, of this town. By 

 the way, John Ware is a taxidermist of some celebrity — he is also a 

 ventriloquist and a musician, and upon the whole a great natural genius, 

 worthy of a recommendation in your valuable work. 



The neighbourhood of a large town, like this, is not very favourable 

 for observations in natural history ; but I intend to record such things 

 as may come under my notice relating to it, and send them to you, if 

 you think them worthy of your acceptance*. M. 



Southampton. 



Rat's nest. — In removing a stack of paper, some time since, I was 

 surprised to see a full-grown Norway rat (Rattvs decumanus, Fleming) 

 issue from the centre ; this excited my interest, and the probability of 

 her having just left a nest made me remove the remaining bundles 

 with the greatest care. The desideratum was soon discovered ; she had 

 excavated one of the reams so completely, that but for the aperture at 

 which she entered, it would have deceived the most scrutinising eye. 

 No young were there ; but by the quantity of dung behind the stack she 

 must have lived there multos per annos, and had probably reared 

 many a " progeny" 



Razor bill (Alca Torda, Linn.) — A very fine specimen of this 

 singular bird was shot in the parish of Bew Castle, a few miles from 

 Carlisle, a short time ago. It was esteemed rather a curiosity, being 

 seldom met with so far inland. The great winds, which have been so 

 prevalent lately, have probably had some hand in its appearance so far 

 out of its " latitude," as well as in that of the Northern Diver (Colum- 

 bus glacialis), a specimen of which bird has now for more than ten 

 weeks been sojourning at the farm, a small lake near Brampton, in this 

 county. The capabilities of this bird for diving have hitherto enabled 

 it to escape all the contrivances of neighbouring sportsmen for its de- 

 struction. F. J. 



Carlisle. 



Hostility evinced by the lapwing to crows. — Most persons 

 residing in the country must have observed the determined hostility 



* The Editor will feel obliged by M.'s future correspondence 



