MISCELLANY. 
51 
upwards of 150 feet from the ground. One of the parent birds, a few evenings 
since, was observed to ascend and descend 57 times within an hour.— The Charter , 
June 16, 1839. 
The Red-crested Pochard (Fuligula rufina , Stepii.) in the London 
Market. —When I was in London last November, I had the pleasure of seeing 
a specimen of that rare visitant the Red-crested Pochard, which was purchased, 
by Mr. Bartlett the same morning. It is the only specimen I have ever seen. 
—J. D. Salmon, Godaiming , Surrey , Feb. 19, 1839. 
Singular Capture of a Hawk by a Fieldfare. —On Tuesday week, at 
Glastonby, Cumberland, a Hawk pursued a Fieldfare, which sought refuge in the 
house of Mr. John Bailey. The pursuer and fugitive flew along a dark passage 
into the kitchen, and thence into the parlour, where the Fieldfare took shelter 
amongst some flower-pots in the window. The rapacious Hawk overturned the 
pots, and seized its victim, when a young woman, who had seen the whole of the 
chase, snatched the Fieldfare from the talons of the felon-bird, and the latter 
suffered death for his crime.— Gateshead Observer. 
Secretiveness of the Partridge. —The Partridge, when sitting, seldom rises 
from its nest until you almost have your hand upon the bird, and it will always 
lie close until the last possible moment. A few days ago a small brown creature 
—which we at first took for a Rat, but immediately afterwards found to be a 
Partridge—slipped out of a tuft of Grass into a hedge close by. There were, 
sure enough, sixteen eggs in the nest; but we quitted these to trace out the old 
bird. After a fruitless search for a few minutes, we returned to the spot where, 
to the best of our recollection, the nest lay; but it was no where to be found, 
until, at length, the selfsame bird flew off from its nest to a considerable distance, 
having, it seems returned to the tuft of Grass after the first disturbance ! When 
the young birds are hatched, the parents will use all kinds of devices to allure a 
foe from their offspring; but while they are still in the shell, passive Secretive¬ 
ness is alone resorted to.— Ed. 
March of Intellect in the Brute Creation. —In the neighbourhood of 
Lewes, and on the road to Newhaven, there is on a building an inscription in 
large letters, as follows :— 44 Cootee’s Academy for young Horsesand further on, 
a direction 44 To-the School.”— Northern Star , April 6, 1839. 
Another Instance. — 44 Advertisement. —Wanted, a coachman to take care of 
a pair of Horses of a religious turn of mind.”— Philadelphia paper. 
Hydrophobia in the Sheep.' —Symptoms of madness in Sheep are, it appears, 
somewhat different from those in other animals; they make no attempt to bite 
each other or human beings; nor have they any dread of water; but they are 
pugnacious, and attempt to strike with their heads the persons who approach 
them.— Shrewsbury Chronicle. 
