228 
NATURE NOTES 
amount of material in the British Isles is, from the varietal 
point of view, inexhaustible, the comparatively few species 
having yielded several thousand distinct varieties, which are 
constantly being added to by fresh discoveries of wild “ sports ” 
or new developments under culture. Under these circumstances 
the writer (who for fully thirty years has been practically the 
champion of British ferns in the British horticultural press 
and in his two standard works, “ Choice British Ferns” fUpcott 
Gill, now out of print] and “ The Book of British Ferns ” 
[Newnes]) would be glad to hear from the admirers of these 
plants, by a simple postcard, in order to judge whether such 
a society is practicable on the basis of a moderate subscription, 
sufficient to cover printing and other expenses incidental to the 
programme indicated. 
II, Shad Road, Chas. T. Druery, V.M.H., F.L.S. 
Acton, London, \V. 
Possibly the establishment of such a society as Mr. Druery 
suggests may do something to prevent the extermination of our 
native ferns. — Ed. N.N .] 
NATURAL HISTORY NOTES. 
670. Cat defending Dog. — A hateful fox-terrier came into our garden 
and attacked my little Griffon, rolling him over and trying to bite him. The 
poor little creature was terrified and screamed as loud as he could ; whereupon 
my cat, who loved him very much, rushed out and sprang on the fox-terrier’s 
back, scratching and biting him. The dog left my “ Mousie”and went howling 
into the road, with the cat still sticking to his back, and clawing as hard as she 
could. I am certain Mousie would have been seriously injured had it not been 
for the plucky behaviour of his feline friend. X. 
671. Frencb Partridge and Pigeons.-- In the public gardens at 
Lowestoft there is a large cage in which a number of pigeons are kept to amuse 
the visitors. Last year a French partridge was put into the cage, and has 
wonderfully adapted itself to its surroundings and society. The bird was in 
splendid plumage when I saw it sitting among the pigeons on the top perch, 
lo or 12 feet above the ground. From this it flew from perch to perch as 
naturally as its comrades, over which it exercised a gentle lordship, french 
partridges are said occasionally to perch on trees, though I must own to having 
never seen them do so. 
Edmund Thos. Daubeny. 
672. A Bird’s Education. — The crowding out of literary work by more 
seasonable occupations since May last must be my excuse for taking no notice 
of Mr. Daubeny’s remarks on p. go. He apparently misunderstands my use of 
the word “instinct,” although I purposely used the expression “inherited 
experience,” as I thought, to preclude any misunderstanding. So far from tha 
theory of “blind instinct” being “worn-out,” it is very much alive; but there 
is a difference. The old idea that every species of living thing was specially 
and separately created once and for all time, immutable, and endowed with 
instinct and .'ense suited to its needs, has very rightly been superseded by thef 
far grander idea of evolution, in which instinct is considered as the outcome o 
