5*2 
miscellany. 
The Royal Court converted into a Poultry-Yard. —Mr. Gibaut presented 
himself at the bar of the Court, bringing with him seven couple of fowls, which 
he had tendered to her Majesty’s Receiver for poulage , being the old feudal due 
enacted by tyranny for allowing persons to light fires in their dwellings. The 
Bailiff positively refused to enter into the question, for if once a precedent was 
established by which the Jurats were constituted judges of the requisite fatness 
of cocks and hens, their time would be fully occupied with the feathered tribe, to 
the detriment of unfledged bipeds. The Receiver complained, that he was 
yesterday offered fowls, which he rejected, and which actually died in the course 
of the day. We would recommend this important cause to be renvoyee devant 
Commis , with a power to call the women under the halls as witnesses. 
Cunning of Birds. —The Meadow Pipit will often flutter away from its nest, 
when suddenly disturbed, as if wounded and in great pain, contriving to keep 
just out of your reach. If you follow, either out of curiosity or from ignorance 
of its habits, it will make off at great speed, and when it has enticed you 
a considerable distance, suddenly takes wing, and flies back to the nest. But if 
you stand unmoved by its arts, it remains close to you, tossing and tumbling 
about, at length hopping into a neighbouring bush, and gradually recovering from 
its “ temporary insanity.” 
We never knew, before the present year, that the Blackcap would employ a 
similar stratagem. One of these birds, in quitting a nest of recently-hatched 
young in a clump of Nettles, shuffled about in this manner with great spirit, 
until it became concealed among the herbage. This nest was within a few yards 
of a Meadow Pipit’s nest, likewise among Nettles, and the proprietor of which 
acted in a manner similar to its near neighbour.— Ed. 
Voracity of the Eel.— While one day standing on a low ledge of rock, 
enjoying the delightful scenery of the Tay, I witnessed a very striking, and so 
far as I know, novel exhibition, touching Natural History, being nothing less 
than a chase upon terra jirma of a Crab by an Eel, and illustrative in a remark¬ 
able manner of the eagerness with which the latter animal pursues its prey. My 
attention was first drawn to the spot by a rustling sound, where I saw the 
fugitive in the act of emerging from the water. The Eel, of large dimensions, 
soon followed. After promptly effecting a landing on the rock on which I was 
standing, which both of them did -with great dexterity, the Crab took to his heels 
with all manner of despatch, and soon showed his pursuer the advantage of the 
possession of a supply of limbs. The Eel, however, nothing daunted, although 
labouring under the primeval curse of the Serpent, dashed after him with the 
utmost eagerness ; but it was soon obvious that the locomotive machinery of the 
latter was dismally at fault. He wormed* twisted, and oscillated himself to and 
fro to comparatively little purpose, although in this way he kept up the chace for 
