petted by her. One day a young friend was staying with her, and, while sitting at the window of the drawing-room, she began playfully to pat the old lady. The Cat seeing what was going on, and probably supposing that her mistress was being ill-treated, crouched down with glaring eyes and swelling tail, and was evidently preparing to fly at the young lady, when fortunately her mistress saw the Cat just in time to prevent the assault, and it was with some difficulty driven from the room.

Instances of the local memory of Dogs, and their attachment to places where they have lived, are not uncommon, but the Cat is generally supposed to be an animal of an inferior developement of instinct and feelings. We,however, can mention a very singular example both of its fondness for the house where it was bred, and of the means, apparently beyond its power, which it took, when removed to a distance, to regain it. A nedical gentleman residing at Saxmundham in Suffolk dined with a friend in the village of Grundisburgh, about twelve miles distant. Late in the evening he returned home; a young Cat had been given to him by his host, which was placed in a basket, and deposited in the boot of the phaeton. This shy, timid, little animal, for such is the Cat, and one quite unused to leave the precincts of its former habitation, threc days subsequent to the journey was fourad, wet, tired, and covered with dirt, at the door of its former master's house at Grundisburgh; having by some instinctive

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power, unaccountable to us, found its way from one place to another; assuredly not being guided by the sense of vision, nor the recollection of places, for the former journey had been performed in confinement and utter darkness.

Captain Fitzroy, in his very interesting narrative of his Surveying Voyage in the Beagle,-a work which shews the zeal, good sense, and kind feeling of that indefatigable Officer, tells us that he profited much by observing the flight of Birds when out of sight of land. He thinks that land, especially small islands or reefs, may be discovered in consequence of watching the particular kinds of Birds, and noticing the direction in which they fly in the evening, about sunset. Thus, after a severe gale of wind, he was in doubt whether those remote islands, called the Keelings, were to the east or west. He was inclined to steer eastward, when a number of Gannets flew past the ship towards the west. He immediately steered after them, and early next morning saw the Keelings right a head. He says, that generally speaking, if there is land within fifty miles of a vessel, its existence will be indicated, and the direction in which to look for it will be pointed out, by Birds. He observed some Tern, however, about 120 miles from any known land, and this fact may help to shew within what limits the appearance of those Birds should be considered to indicate the vicinity of land,

The length and strength of the wings of those Birds which take long and frequent flights over the vast Ocean, their peculiar formation and adaptation to the climates and places they frequent, are subjects which must always interest not only the naturalist, but the Christian, who delights in beholding and enquiring into the ways of Providence, as evidenced in the works of Creation. It is one of those subjects which the human mind is, I think, called upon to investigate. It affords us the clearest view of a protecting Power, and of a wonderful arrangement in the organization of every thing, sufficient to stifle the doubts of a sceptic, and to fill the mind of a sincere believer with wonder and admiration. If the inferior works of Creation are so constantly under the care and guidance of a superintending Providence, how delightfully and confidently may the humble Christian, amidst the storms, and cares and anxieties of this life, look up to the same benevolent Hand for support, comfort, and assistance.

I was led into these reflections, by the perusal of a striking passage in Captain Fitzroy's narrative, already referred to. Speaking of the Galapagos Islands, all of which are of volcanic origin, and the lava, of which they are chiefly composed, excessively hard, he informs. us, that all the small Birds found upon them have short beaks, very thick at the base, like those of a Bullfinch. This appears, he adds, to be one of those admirable provisions of Infinite Wisdom, by which each created thing is adapted to the place for which it was intended.

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In picking up insects, or seeds, which lie on hard ironlike lava, the superiority of such beaks over delicate ones cannot be doubted; but there is, perhaps, a further object in their being so strong and wide. Colnett, in his Voyage to the South Seas, says, that he

observed an old bird in the act of supplying three young ones with drink, by squeezing the berry of a tree into their mouths. It was about the size of a pea, and contained a watery juice, of an acid, but not an unpleasant taste. The leaves of these trees absorb the copious dews which fall during the night; the birds then pierce them with their bills for the moisture they retain, and which, I believe, they also procure from the various plants and evergreens. The torch thistle contains a liquid in its heart, which the birds drank, when it was cut down. They sometimes even extracted it from the young trees, by piercing the trunks with their bills." It is evident that what are called soft-billed Birds would be unable to squeeze berries, and pierce woody fibres, or even leaves only; so that the peculiar formation of those referred to is one of those interesting facts, which serve to prove the directing hand of an all-wise Creator.

The public are greatly indebted to Mr. Gould for his researches in Natural History on the Australian Continent. The introduction he has made of so many new birds and quadrupeds into this country, and his observations on their peculiar habits and localities, must afford new pleasure to every lover of Nature. In

the first part of his splendid work on the Birds of Australia, in speaking of the Sacred Kingfisher (Halcyon sanctus) he informs us, that so far from its habits being similar to those of our own glittering bird of that species, it is frequently found in the most arid and dry situations, far distant from water. It appears that a supply of this element is not essential to its existence; and this is the case with many of the insectivorous Birds of Australia. From the localities in which this Kingfisher is found breeding, it must pass long periods without being able to obtain any water for itself or its young. Unlike our own Kingfisher, which seems to delight in moisture, it never plunges into the water, but it feeds on Lizards, Grashoppers, and Caterpillars, and very small Snakes; the latter being killed by beating their heads against a stone or other hard substance. They are all swallowed whole, and the moisture of their bodies must supply the want of water. This is another instance of the adaptation of a creature to the peculiar situation in which it is found.

Mr. Gould also mentions some curious facts relating to the habits of the Wattled Talegalla (Talegalla Lathami,) which forms one of the numerous anomalies of Australia. This bird seems to be allied to the Gallinacea, the head having much of the appearance of that of the Turkey, while the body is shaped like those of our domestic fowls. Its bright yellow wattles and red neck give it a peculiar appearance. The feet are large and strong, and of a disproportionate size, and