CHAPTER OF VARIETIES. 



105 



shown by the lapwing against the crow, whenever the latter has the 

 audacity to enter a field in which the lapwing has chanced for a time 

 to take up its residence. On such occasions, immediately the intruder is 

 discovered, he is pursued with the greatest animosity, until driven away 

 from his enemy's dominions ; and it is rare, indeed, that the crow has 

 the courage to face its opponent, who keeps up the attack on all sides, 

 and without intermission. This takes place during the breeding season, 

 either when the eggs are being hatched, or the young ones are not suf- 

 ficiently grown to be left to themselves ; but at no other time, as I 

 have often observed, and as any person may observe for himself, in the 

 autumn of the year, when numbers of lapwings may be seen feeding 

 and flying quite peaceably with flocks of crows. Whether this aversion 

 on the part of the " peewit'' proceeds from mere jealousy, or is the effect 

 of that wonderful power of instinct, which in this instance might lead 

 that bird to evince hostility in order to protect its young from the 

 ravenous maw of the crow, I must leave to some one more experienced 

 in the study of natural history than myself to determine. F. J. 



Carlisle. 



Transparency of the sea. — Having been struck by the descrip- 

 tions of the transparent clearness of the sea in high latitudes, and also 

 near the line, and far from land, in many situations, I feel surprise that 

 so little advantage has been taken of this by naturalists, to attempt to 

 discover plants and animals living at such a depth, as to be unlikely ever 

 to be discovered by any other means than by sight. Times may occur, 

 in a long voyage, when on these deep seas (the surface may be so still 

 and quiet) that telescopes might enable the eye to penetrate many 

 miles down, and bring to our view many of those creatures still living, 

 which are supposed to have been destroyed, and not to have lived since 

 the creation of man. Over these immense plains, lofty mountains, and 

 dense groves, two or three miles from the surface of the sea, far out of 

 the reach of winds, and storms, and currents, may even now exist those 

 huge snails, the Cornua Ammonis, the Nautilus with its own proper 

 inhabitant, the Megalosaurus, Icthyosaurus, Plesiosaurus, Ornitho- 

 cephali, Mammoths, &c, &c All these may, most of them certainly 

 could, live at these immense depths, and in the dense air, as we know 

 our own toads, frogs, and newts can do. No argument against this 

 can be framed on the fact, that their recent remains are never found 

 thrown up on any shores ; because the great depth at which they live 

 would render it impossible for any storm ever to disturb them ; and if 

 VOL. II. — no. ii. p 



