172 
NATURE NOTES 
missing and dead. As long as this idea prevails the “ tough customer” has little 
chance of carrying on his useful work (insect destroying). 
Louis Figuier says : “ Their aliment chiefly consists of insects, molluscs, frogs, 
toads and small mammals. When they can obtain nothing else, they subsist 
upon roots and fallen fruit, but they do not climb trees in search of it, as certain 
naturalists have stated. The ancients used to hunt them for their spines, which 
they employed in carding wool. I speak from experience, when I say that their 
flesh is a great delicacy.” 
Barmly Moor. W. D. WOOD Rees. 
140. Field Mice in Regent’s Park. — A pair of field mice are bringing 
up a family of, I believe, four among the flowers in Regent’s Park this season. 
Looking toward the Zoological Gardens, on the left hand of the broad walk, 
there is a much narrower path. Here, there is a long narrow bed of pink 
geraniums, fuchsias and white pansies, backed by a low border of privet. I 
frequently sit an hour in a chair opposite, studying and admiring the small deer 
in this their home. Any of the gardeners would direct a would-be observer to 
the exact spot, and a piece of biscuit thrown on the grass within, say two inches 
of the flowers, never fails to attract them. 
12, Queen's Road, Ilford. Arthur T. Barnard. 
141. A Cat Story. — The following true cat-story may interest your readers : 
A cat climbed up an elm tree in Queen’s Square, Bloomsbury, where a pigeon 
had its nest, and having devoured two young pigeons it deposited two new born 
kittens in their place. 
I, Palace Gardens Terrace, Kensington, IV. Marion C. Bedford. 
Jttly 1 6, 1904. 
142. Female Birds Pairing. — A somewhat similar case to that of the 
swans mentioned by Mr. Falcke in Nature Notes this month, came under my 
notice some years ago. A pair of geese — I think they were called “ Labrador 
geese,” were given to a neighbour. They came to this county from Kent, and 
were the only pair of the sort anywhere about. They lived on the pool all winter, 
and in the spring made a nest, and several eggs were laid. Just when the owner 
thought the goose would sit, the other bird made a nest and began to lay. 
Between them the two geese laid some thirty eggs. 
The Gables, C. E. Meade Waldo. 
Wirksworth, July 8, 1904. 
143. Larks. — Larks frequently alight on posts or the flat top of a clipped 
hedge ; but rarely if ever attempt to grasp a twig like perching birds, owing to 
the lack of prehensile powers. The other day I saw a lark perch on a wire 
in a fence, where it had difficulty in preserving its balance, as could be seen by 
its continually bobbing forward and then recovering itself with expanded tail. A 
feeble grip no doubt was made with the foretoes ; but the hind one, with its long 
claw, stood straight out, and in no way helped the bird to maintain its precarious 
position. 
July, 1904. Edmund Thos. Daubenv. 
144. Lesser Redpole. — These birds build in the trees round my house, 
and are frequently seen on the carriage drive. The middle of June they may be 
observed in pairs, evening after evening, going off in circles a hundred yards or 
so round the tree in which the nest is built, before finally settling down for the 
night. When on the wing, and especially at this time of year, they are very noisy 
little birds. 
Southacre, Swaffham, Norfolk, Edmund Thos. Daubeny. 
July, 1904. 
145. Bird Life in the New Forest.— A. R. P. asks, “ Has any cause 
been assigned for the absence of bird life in the New Forest ? ” Allow me to 
suggest the presence of squirrels as a cause. The squirrel is being found out at 
last. ;^200 damages were awarded in a lawsuit a week or two ago, owing to 
mischief done to trees by squirrels. They harry little birds, destroy their nests, 
and eat their eggs and young. By these means they drive them out of our woods 
and plantations. Here I am surrounded by woods. Birds-nesting by small boys 
is practically unknown in this highly preserved spot. In spite of this the amount 
