250 
PROFESSOR OWEN 
CH. IX. 
which the Professor noted in his garden at Sheen 
Lodge is surprising : — 
‘ I have entered in my garden book,’ he 
writes, ‘the name of every kind of bird which I 
have noted there, distinguishing the permanent 
dwellers from the occasional residents, and the 
latter according to the periods of their temporary 
sojourn, whether to breed or to feed— in other 
words, the summer and winter visitors. 
‘ The list, however, would have been incom- 
plete without the aid of my lamented friend, 
John Gould. It was ever with him a favourite 
summer afternoon’s holiday, after a ramble in 
the park, to pass an hour in the garden. On 
one of these occasions, in early June, we rested 
on a seat overshadowed by a weeping ash, but 
allowing a view of the lawn. Happening to 
show him my ornithological list at that date, 
Gould said, “ You have got more birds in the 
garden than I see here, I expect.” Now he 
possessed in a remarkable degree the faculty 
of imitating the various notes of all our vocal 
species. He bade us sit still and be silent ; 
then began. After emitting a particular 
motivo for a few minutes, he would quietly 
point to a little bird which had flown from an 
adjoining bush upon the lawn, and was there 
hopping inquisitively to and fro, gradually 
nearing the locality of its specific song. VVe 
could then recognise the species to which Gould 
