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SKETCHES OF NATURAL HISTORY. 
to a clever designer in arranging the details. Placing the plants would 
belong to the geographical botanist. The architecture of the buildings 
should resemble the style of building of the countries whence the plants 
in and around them are brought, and might be extended into reading 
or coffee rooms, museums, &c. &c. 
(Zb be continued.) 
MISCELLANEOUS INTELLIGENCE. 
Sketches of Natural History.— The occupation of gardeners 
requiring them to be much in the open air, and as a garden is the con¬ 
stant haunt of a great variety of birds, insects, mollusca, and a few 
of the mammalia, every one therein employed must be more or less a 
naturalist, whether he makes these matters a particular study or not; 
and, as these various tribes of the lower creation are either injurious or 
serviceable to the gardener, it behoves him to know somewhat of the 
economy of these his constant or occasional visitants, so as to be able 
to ward off the attack of the destructives, and at the same time to 
cherish and encourage those which are really serviceable. 
For this reason it is intended to admit occasionally brief sketches of 
the natural history of those birds, insects, or other animals which are 
most familiarly known in gardens, as matters not quite foreign to our 
main object, and more especially as we are promised the aid of two or 
three correspondents who delight in the study of natural history, and 
who think it wisdom “ nature to explore.”— -Ed. 
Of the Redbreast (Rub ecula familiar is ).—-Of all other small birds, 
this is one of the most common and best known ; it is also one of our 
greatest favourites, in consequence of its bold familiarity and fearless 
demeanour in approaching the presence and habitations of man. In 
nidifying they are nearly the earliest of the small birds, choosing a hole 
in a wall, or hedge, or ditch-bank, or sometimes under the eaves of out¬ 
houses. They use a rather large mass of materials in constructing 
their nest; withered leaves and grass, feathers, and finishing with an 
inside lining of hair. The nest is not neatly formed, part of the mate¬ 
rials being often left hanging from the front, which makes it easily 
discoverable. 
The robin breeds twdce in the year, rearing five or six young each 
time. The young are fed with small earth-worms and caterpillars, of 
which they devour great numbers. In this particular they are of great 
service in gardens. It is true that the young, as soon as they are driven 
