portion to its length, and is remarkable for the shortness of its spines; the longest, which are situated on the back and near the tail, being little more than three inches in length. The whole body is covered with a very thick brown fur, with lighter-coloured coarse hairs intermixed; and on most other parts of the body except the back, the spines are so buried in the fur as to require a close examination to distinguish them. The spines are strong, but very loosely attached, so as to come off with a very gentle force. The length of the body is about 18 in.; of the tail, 5 in. or 6 in. It lives in holes near the roots of aged trees, and is diffused over a great extent of country, extending as far north as Hudson's Bay. It is considered rather a delicacy by the natives of the countries it inhabits.-E. H. Greenhow. North Shields, June 1. 1833.

The Beaver (Castor Fiber). Beavers were once common in the little rivers of Lower Canada, but, as the country has become settled, they, together with other wild animals, have become scarce, and have left off assembling in villages [or collections of houses built by themselves], but now live solitarily in holes on the wooded banks of secluded rivers. Id.

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Musk Rat (Mús zibéthicus). The musk rat is one of the commonest of Canadian animals, being as common there as water rats are with us. It lives in excavations on the banks of little brooks and rivers; and these excavations are always concealed by a bush or clump of shrubs. Its habitation is neatly constructed, being made quite smooth on the inside, and always so contrived as to be out of reach of the water. The animals live in pairs during the summer season, but, I believe, congregate through the winter, living in common abodes like the beaver, which it also resembles in its outward appearance, though it is much smaller. They are rarely seen by daylight, but towards the dusk come out of their holes to feed; and at this time the Canadians hunt them with dogs trained for the purpose. They are covered all over with a very soft fur, except on the tail, which is broad, and covered with scales, intermixed with a very few scattered hairs. The tail has a strong musky odour, which is common, though in a less degree, to the whole animal, whence it derives its name. The fur is rather valuable, being similar to that of the beaver, and much more easily obtained. — Id.

Canadian Dog.There is -There is a variety of dog common in Canada, which seems peculiar to that country. It resembles the Newfoundland dog, inasmuch as it has half-webbed feet, and is fond of the water. It is about the size of a pointer, and is strong and hardy. On these accounts it is commonly

used by the inhabitants for purposes of draught; vegetables and other country produce being brought to market in little carts drawn by one or more of these dogs. It is not uncommon in the populous districts about Quebec to see children drawn in little cart-like carriages by a couple of them; and it is really surprising to see with what speed they drag one of these vehicles along. — Id,

The Water Shrew (Sòrex fòdiens L.). Since the rediscovery of this interesting little animal in England, by Mr. Doyaston [Vol. II. p. 219.], many instances have been recorded [Vol. II. p. 399. 483., III. p. 90. 188. 236. 471., V. p. 79. 298., VI. p. 452.] of its occurring in various parts of the country. The species is not rare in this neighbourhood; and I suspect that, if sought for in its proper localities, it will be found more or less distributed throughout the kingdom. -- Edward Blyth. Tooting, Surrey, Sept. 23. 1833.

The Oared Water Shrew, Sòrex remifer Yarrell (Vol. V. p. 598.), is not rare in the Neighbourhood of Glasgow. Our information respecting the smaller quadrupeds, even of our own country, is still very imperfect, and doubtless several of them are still unknown to us. The Sorex rémifer has not yet been recognised as a native of Scotland, although it appears to be by no means uncommon in the neighbourhood of Glasgow. Last autumn I was so fortunate as to procure three specimens of this shrew, all of them from different situations. Although it is decidedly a water shrew, all the specimens were found at a distance from any pool or considerable body of water. It is unnecessary to give any description of this animal, as my examples agree precisely with the account of the Sorex rémifer given by Mr. Yarrell in Vol. V. p. 598. I will only remark, that the snout is exceedingly flat (resembling in this respect that of the Chrysocholìris capensis), a circumstance which at once distinguishes it from the common water shrew (Sòrex fodiens L.). The specimens from this vicinity agree with those described by Mr. Yarrell in being smaller than the French ones mentioned by M. Geoffroy St. Hilaire.

The discovery of this species as a native of England is due to Dr. Hooker, who found it in Norfolk, and his specimen was afterwards figured by Sowerby, in his British Miscellany, under the name of Sorex ciliàtus. Dr. Hooker, to whose kindness I am much indebted in having free access to his library, the only one on natural history in this town, at once recognised my specimen as being in every respect similar to the water shrew which he had procured in Norfolk. John Scouler, M.D. Glasgow, July 25. 1833.

BIRDS.The Great Bustard. (Vol. III. p. 515., Vol. VI. p.150.)-This bird formerly was frequently seen at Icklingham in Suffolk, Brandon Heath, and the open fields of Norfolk; but has not been observed in the first place for some years. The last seen there was a hen bustard, sitting on six or seven eggs. She, unfortunately, was disturbed by a farmer, who secured the bird by throwing a casting net over her; but she pined for a short time and died. Bustards are, however, still occasionally seen in the grounds of the Duke of Grafton, at Easton, and on the heaths between Thetford and Newmarket.

The method which was usually adopted by the sportsman desirous of shooting this shy bird is dressing his head with boughs, and walking by the side of a stalking horse decorated in the same manner, until he arrive within gunshot. I have never heard that the breed has been domesticated. The late Duke of Queensberry had three pinioned on his lawn at Newmarket; and J. Wastall, Esq. had one for a long time in his garden at Risby, in Suffolk. In a wild state, they live on grain and insects, and (according to Shaw) on rats and field mice. They breed among the corn in summer, and in autumn form coveys or flights of about three or four brace. Their flesh is much esteemed by sportsmen.-N. S. Hodson. Abbey Grounds, Bury St. Edmunds, Jan. 2. 1833.

The Little Bustard (O`tis Tètrax L.). (p. 141.)— A fine specimen of the little bustard, a bird very scarce in this country, was lately shot near Caxton, in this county. It is in the possession of the Cambridge Philosophical Society. - Cambridge Chronicle, January 18. 1833. [Henry Turner.]

The Peacock a Narcissus.-The late Baron Ternaux decorated his grounds at St. Ouen, near Paris, with splendid lookingglasses, which reflected the varied landscape, and produced a very fine effect. One day, the gardener found one of the peacocks before the glass, with his tail displayed, and apparently contemplating himself with great satisfaction. The gardener let him remain there until he went round the grounds; he returned in a few hours, and found the peacock still before the glass. He now drove him away, but he as constantly returned. He at length took him to the aviary; but the peacock, as soon as he could get out, went back to the mirror, refusing all food for the delight of contemplating himself in the glass. The baron at last suffered him to remain, ordering food to be placed for him near the glass; but he did not touch it and, on the third or fourth day, the bird of Juno was found lying dead before the glass. A second peacock, which had never seen the mirror, was brought, that it might be observed whether the effect would be the same; VOL. VI.- No. 36.

LL

when it was found that he was as proud of viewing his own. image as his congener: and, to prevent his meeting a similar fate, he was not allowed access to the grounds.

The above anecdote was communicated by the baron himself, on his last visit to London, to the narrator.-J. B. London, June 28. 1833.

We are without proof whether the Narcissuses, or peacocks, stayed at the glass to admire the semblance of their own persons, or in the hope of adding the peacock pictured therein to their list of friends or list of enemies. Very familiar is the fact, that a game cock may, without much difficulty, be excited to defy and peck at the semblance of himself in a looking-glass. The instance which I have seen of this fact was shown me, one evening, in a room, by candlelight.-J. D.

Enmity between the White Swan and the Black Swan. (p. 139. 278.)-Sir J. Byerley has, in p. 139., described the aversion evinced by a widowed male black swan from a "most beautiful white female swan," that had been procured to console him. In the Mirror, vol. x. p. 318., is an interesting and well told account of two white swans killing a solitary black one that had been placed with them on the water in the Regent's Park. The two whites pursued the black one "with the greatest ferocity, and one of them succeeded in grasping the black one's neck between its mandibles, and then shook it violently. The black swan with difficulty extricated itself from this murderous grasp, hurried on shore, tottered from the water's edge a few paces, and fell, to die. Its death appeared to be attended with great agony; it stretched its neck in the air, fluttered its wings, and attempted to rise from the ground: after about five minutes of suffering it made a last effort to rise, and fell dead with outstretched neck and wings. Its foes never left the water in pursuit, but continued sailing with every feather on end, up and down towards the spot where their victim fell, and seemingly proud of their conquest."― James Fennell. London, April, 1833.

The Egyptian Goose (Anas ægyptiaca). (Vol. V. p. 565., Vol. VI. p. 12.)- Three individuals of this beautiful bird were killed at Campsie, about seven miles from Glasgow, in the month of November, 1832. A gamekeeper, who had not seen such birds before, killed two of them, which proved to be females, but the male escaped. He was sent back to the same place, to watch the return of the male, who soon appeared, in search for his companions, and was also shot. From the extremely perfect state of their plumage, it is not probable that they had escaped from confinement; but it is more likely that they had been wandering about for a considerable period.John Scouler, M.D. Glasgow, July 25. 1833.

Grey Phalarope. (Vol. V. p. 729.) This bird, although common in the arctic regions, is but a rare visiter in this vicinity. A beautiful mature specimen was shot at Largs last winter. John Scouler, M. D. Glasgow, July 25. 1833.

Acts of the Heron (Vol. II. p. 206., V. p. 57. 192. 678., VI. p. 452.), and of the Peahen. (Vol. III. p. 146., V. p. 383.) -There is a small fishpond, sheltered by shrubs and wood within 150 yards of the dining-room windows of West Ella, the seat of Rickard Sikes, Esq., about six miles from this town (Hull). On the afternoon of Sunday, Sept. 1. 1833, a heron (Ardea major L.) was, for the first time, observed to descend and quietly to take up a station on the edge of the pond, which was full to almost the overflowing of its banks, from the quantity of rain which had fallen on that and the previous day. The evening was cloudy, and well calculated for fishing. In less than ten minutes from the time the heron alighted, he was observed to have some animal struggling on the ground, which he was evidently attempting to kill, by frequently repeated blows of his beak: before, however, he accomplished this, he was disturbed, but succeeded in carrying off his prize. In a few minutes he again returned to his former station. On this occasion he did not succeed so quickly in finding game; but, with a full share of that patience so proverbially great in all good fishermen, he perseveringly kept his ground, in a state of perfect quietude, for, I should think, upwards of half an hour. He then changed his fishing ground to one a few yards distant, still carefully keeping in the shade. Here he was soon successful, and was observed suddenly to strike the water, to raise himself a few feet above it, and then to alight on the gravel walk with his second prize, which he immediately set about killing, by repeated blows of his beak, as on the former occasion. The most singular part of the transaction, to me, however, now occurred. A peahen feeding at a short distance from this scene, and no doubt attracted by the struggles of the prey, and the blows of the heron, approached, and appeared either to dispute the prize with the heron, or to assist him in depriving it of life; but which, it was impossible to distinguish, with any degree of accuracy, from the distance at which I stood; and, unfortunately, before this could be distinctly ascertained, the combat was interrupted, and both the heron and the peahen driven from the prey, which proved to be an eel, of about a foot and a half in length, left still alive on the ground.

It is a common opinion in this part of the country, that the pea fowl is the natural enemy of the serpent tribe; and, I believe, on that account, as much as for the beauty of his