SELHORXIAXA 
1 1 
beak driven in just behind the base of his shrieking brother’s 
mandible, his left foot clasping the other’s wing-joint, while his 
right foot was clutching the cheek of the lower bird near the 
point where the beak was driven in. My friend raised them in 
his hands, and they could offer no resistance, so firmly were they 
interlocked. While thus held I took a short stick and pushed 
back the point of the beak until the hook was clear of the bone 
in the head behind which it was driven, thus enabling it to be 
withdrawn. It was only after several attempts that this clearance 
was effected, and then the stick had to be employed to unclasp 
the talons from the wing-joint into which they were driven. So 
deadly was the grip of both claw and bill that there is no doubt 
both birds would have perished miserably had we not been 
fortunate enough to discover them in time. After separation 
they showed their gratitude by biting fiercely at my friend’s 
fingers ; on being liberated the first one immediately made 
towards the creek, to slake the burning thirst engendered by the 
heat of conflict ; the other was carried some distance and then 
allowed to escape among the trees. Both were in splendid 
plumage, and probably this season’s birds. 
A somewhat similar incident was witnessed when we were 
on a caravan tour round the east coast of Tasmania several 
summers ago. While on the road near Gould’s Country we were 
attracted by the novel spectacle of an animated ball of brown 
and greyish feathers rolling amid the grass by the wayside. My 
friend stepped quietly up to the object and raised it in his hands, 
when it proved to be nothing less than a couple of hen Superb 
Warblers, engaged in such stress of battle and squeaking so 
fiercely that we were neither seen nor heard until they lay in 
our hands. They were allowed to fly after giving them time to 
cool down, and when they left were, no doubt, sadder and wiser 
birds ! 
Launceston, Tasmania, H. Stuart Dove. 
June 15, 1907. 
SELBORNIANA. 
PuRLEY Beeches. — The preservation of this valuable little 
bit of ancient woodland ha\ing been secured, it was recently 
formally dedicated in perpetuity for the use of the public by the 
Mayor of Croydon, Dr. H. Keatley Moore. 
The National Trust. — We have received the Report of 
the Council to August 21 last, when the Trust was reconstituted, 
which report deals with a number of interesting topics, to some 
of which we hope to refer on a future occasion. Whilst the 
presentation of a beautiful portion of Wandle Park, Wimbledon, 
is recorded, funds are asked for to complete the purchases of 
Coleridge’s cottage at Nether Stowey, the Grey Wethers on 
