NATURE NOTES. 
o 
Bat the reader will by this time have had nearly enough of this remarkable 
argument, and I must leave the scientific naturalist to refute this novel theory as 
best he may. Z. S. 
A Blackbird story. — The Rev. C. S. Millard writes from Costock Rectory : 
I feel sure that many of the readers of the Selborne Society’s Magazine will be 
interested in the following account that has been sent me by Mrs. Symonds of 
Saxelbye Rectory of the strange conduct of a blackbird last spring. “The story of 
the blackbird is very striking. Two blackbirds built in a hole in the hayrick that 
had been pulled out by the cows. My man constantly passed by the hen bird 
while she was sitting, and he noticed that she seemed very tame. At length he 
stroked her on her nest, and used continually to do so as he passed and repassed 
her, she seemingly being not the least disconcerted, and once she allowed him to 
lift her off the nest. Five young birds were hatched and seemed to be thriving, 
but one morning, when my man was going to milk, he was surprised by the hen 
blackbird flying to him, making a great noise, almost hitting him in the face, 
and then flying back to her nest. He suspected something wrong and followed 
her. On arriving at the nest he found a magpie (I had allowed two to build in 
a spinny hard by) standing on the cock bird, which he had killed, as he had also 
killed three of the young blackbirds. Having driven the magpie off, he took the 
two surviving little birds and put them into the hedge, where the poor hen-bird, 
who sat by watching the whole proceeding, immediately joined them. I do 
think that the way in which the bird recognised in my man one who would assist 
her if solicited, very touching.” 
Mildness of the Season. — The Rev. W. S. H. Samler, writing from the 
Vicarage, South Stoke, Bath, sends us the following list of plants in bloom 
in his garden on the 31st of January: — White Arabis, Violets (purple and 
white), Primrose, Christmas Rose, Snowdrop, Crocus, Hepatica (blue and pink), 
Daisy, Laurustinus, Pansy, Polyanthus, Helleborus viridis, Aubrietia graeca, Scilla, 
Anemone (ordinary), Anemone fulgens, Gentian acaulis, Wall Flower, Winter 
Stock, Yellow Jasmine, three kinds of Berberis, Periwinkle, Pyrus Japonica, 
China Rose, Hyacinth. 
A Bad Example. — Mr. Marcus B. Huish writes from the New University 
Club : “ The Committee has continued to purchase, whenever possible, any rare 
bird shot in the district.” This extract from the Annual Report of the Cardiff 
Art Library and Museum for the year 1889 is an example of the encouragement 
held out to ignorant and unenlightened folk by the worshipful the Mayor, a large 
body of Councillors, and I believe, the Naturalist Society of Cardiff, who form 
the committee in question. Comment is needless, except that I think it would 
be well if the Selborne Society would present a few of their pamphlets to the 
Free Library and so endeavour to counteract the teaching now in vogue at the 
most important educational establishment in South Wales. 
Marcus B. Huish. 
Holly Berries. — Mr. Manley Hopkins writes from Haslemere : There is, 
perhaps, no part of England so abundant in holly as West Surrey. The trees 
and hedge-bushes last year were prolific in berries, and even more so the previous 
year. This season there are none. In our walks and drives about this neighbour- 
hood we fail to discover a single instance of the scarlet fruit. A farmer in 
Hertfordshire tells me that his trees are in similar condition with the exception 
of a single tree, which is loaded with berries. The pious idea that Deus pascit 
Corvos, and provides much food for the small birds against a hard winter, is, we 
think, groundless ; but this winter proves nothing as to its truth or falsity. 
Probably hollies and also hazelnuts overblew themselves in the late previous 
years, and that this is the season of rest and recovery. 
The Plague of Rats ; Cause and Effect.— The Rev. D. W. Barrett, 
of Barnet, sends us two paragraphs from the Peterborough Advertiser , of January 
25th, 1890, which well show the wisdom of amateur efforts at the readjustment of 
the balance of nature : — 
