226 
NATURE NOTES. 
own Devonshire streams — every common fern luxuriated here, 
and their fronds drooped in on both sides. To such a spot I once 
took a native, who thought his shire did not anywhere contain 
so lovely a scene, and forthwith spoke of getting up a picnic 
party to visit it, with myself as guide ! Just above it there had 
been unearthed a Roman station, the Cambodunum that had 
stood midway between Eboracum and Mancunium. 
W. J. C. Miller. 
(To he concluded.) 
IN MEMORY OF MUNGO. 
HE life of my little wayward, amusing, lovable Mungo, 
the Ichneumon, has come to an end, and it surprises 
me to discover what a blank is left in mine. For five 
years the mongoose has been part of our household, 
constantly in sight, basking in the sun on a wool mat in summer, 
or on the rug before a blazing fire in winter. However sound 
asleep the little animal might appear to be, he was always 
furtively on the watch for a disengaged lap, and would come 
and meekly sit up on end like a spaniel entreating to be taken 
up and nursed. If he failed in this project, then he would 
secretly creep under a dress skirt and lie there perdu, so that 
when she rose, the owner of the skirt would be startled to 
find his solid body hindering her progress. This habit was a 
very dangerous one, and had we not trained ourselves to rise 
cautiously, my friends and I could hardly have avoided often 
treading upon the little creature. 
For the last six months Mungo has evinced a strong desire 
to live in a rabbit hole in the centre of a great clump of rhodo- 
dendrons, and as I thought “camping out” might be good for 
him, his meals were placed within his reach, and he was allowed, 
as ever, to have his own way. One day, however, I found out 
that he swallowed his food with difficulty, and a close examina- 
tion led to the discovery of a tumour in his throat, which must 
eventually have closed it up and caused a lingering death. The 
going away from us all was now accounted for, and I sorrowfully 
recognized the presence of that instinct which leads animals and 
birds to steal away to some quiet corner when they know that 
they are going to die. 
There was no hope that an operation for the removal of the 
tumour could be of any use, since Mungo would have proved 
a hopelessly intractable patient. All I could do, therefore, was 
to coax him to come indoors again and watch over his meals 
with extra care, that his food might be of a kind that he could 
swallow without difficulty. Thus the little animal lived on for 
a month or two without apparent pain, until at last he could no 
longer swallow, and I knew it would be kinder to end his life 
