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MISCELLANY, 
Gazette , Feb . 7, 1839.—QA few individuals of the Com Crake may possibly 
occasionally winter in Britain; but that, as a species, they are migratory, is 
beyond all question. They arrive towards the end of April, and would be 
very partially known to the casual observer but for the deep “ crek, crek ” of the 
male—a sound conveying the most pleasing associations to our minds, and which 
may frequently be heard throughout the night.— Ed. TVatf.] 
Birmingham Meeting of the British Association.— The first meeting of 
the general Committee will take place at Birmingham on Saturday, Aug. 25 ; and 
the various Sections for scientific business will meet in the week commencing 
Aug. 27. The local Committee are already busily engaged in making the pre¬ 
liminary arrangements. 
A Colloquy on Pigs. —“ Friend,” said a Quaker to a man who was tending a 
drove of Swine near Penobscot, 64 hast thee any hogs with large bones in this 
drove ?”— 44 Yes/’ replied the drover, 44 they’ve all got big bones.”— 44 Hast thee 
any with long heads and sharp noses ?*’— 44 Yes, the’re all o’ them long heads and 
sharp snouts.”— 44 Hast thee any with broad flap ears , like the ears of Elephants, 
slouching down over their eyes ?”— 44 Stranger, every Pig of them is that 'ere, and 
no mistake; they’ll suit you exactly.”— 44 1 rather think they will not suit me, 
friend, if they be such as thee describest. Thee may’st drive on.”— Charter , 
March 17, 1839. 
The Sense of Taste in Animals. —All animals having a mouth and stomach 
have probably taste. To disprove a common opinion that birds have but little 
taste, l)r. Gall mentions that Blumenbach finds the organ much larger pro¬ 
portionally in the Duck than in the Goose; that the palates of many are supplied 
with very strong and large nervous papillse ; that many birds bruise insects and 
grains; and many, if different kinds of food be given them, select the most 
agreeable; that, if whole Ants be given to fresh-caught Nightingales, the birds 
usually reject them, but when bruised they are swallowed with avidity; that 
those birds which swallow their food whole, distinguish different berries and 
grains with their beak, so that, although all may be taken into the mouth indif¬ 
ferently, the unsuitable are presently rejected; that Swans will crush and greedily 
swallow Ptats and Frogs, but instantly refuse to swallow Toads; and that 
Swallows, and all birds that feed on insects, devour Bees and large Flies, but 
reject various insects. He reproves M. Dumeril for supposing, before the 
Institute of France, that Nature has supplied fishes with a tongue possessed of a 
fine membrane, and not given it the sense of taste. Different animals are 
differently affected by various sapid substances: what is disgusting to some is 
delightful to others; what would make us sick is often a dainty to certain brutes. 
Gall refutes the absurd opinion of Professor Akerman, that the perfection of 
Man’s intellect arises from the perfection of his senses, and that Man has a finer 
