Page:The Zoologist, 1st series, vol 4 (1846).djvu/40

1206 Are paramount, and must extinguish theirs.

Else they are all — the meanest things that are—

As free to live, and to enjoy that life.

As God was free to form them at the first,

Who in his sovereign wisdom made them all."

John Pemberton Bartlett; Kingston Rectory, October 24th, 1845.

Noctule flying in November. — I have this evening seen the Noctule flying round Neville's Court, at a height of thirty or forty feet, and uttering its chirp, hut less loud than usual. The air is foggy and warm, (Zool. 952). — J. Wolley, Trinity College, Cambridge, November 21st, 1845.

Anecdote of a Cow pumping water. — The following anecdote may prove interesting to some of your readers. While playing at cricket in a neighhouring field belonging to J. Clayfield Ireland, Esq. we were very much amused by watching his cow slake her thirst. As there is no pond in the field, a pump has been placed there, from which a stone basin below is generally kept filled for the horses and cow ; she, however, being exceedingly nice in her taste prefers pumping the water for herself and catching it as it falls with her tongue. We have repeatedly seen her in the act of pumping, which the shape of her horns bending downwards, enables her to do with the greatest facility. Necessity, no doubt, prompted her in the first instance to that which has now become habitual. — John Sircom, Jun.; Brislington, November 3rd. 1845.

Cattle mouthing bones. — With respect to the 'Singular Act performed by a Cow ', (Zool. 1105) I may observe that it seems to be by no means an uncommon occurrence for cows to suck or chew bones.

I have several times observed a certain herd of cows, on their way from the farm- yard to the pastures, when going over a fallow field, made a diligent search over it for any old bones they could find, and which are often contained in the manure and get spread over the land. One would suppose these anything but inviting food after having been in the fermenting dung clumps and exposed to various vicissitudes previously to their getting upon the land. Since reading the above-named article, I have spoken on the subject to the cow-keeper, who says he has long known this as a common practice among these animals, that they aff'ect equally the old bleached bones I have spoken of, and those more recently from the flesh, and that they are more particularly prone to these carnivorous propensities at particular seasons of the year, and mentions just before harvest as one of them. He considers that their partiality for bones arises merely from their finding a palatable taste in them. — A. Greenwood; Chelmsford, October 28th, 1845.

Cattle mouthing bones. — The anecdotes recorded (Zool. 1048 and 1105) may perhaps throw some light on a singular circumstance that occurred a short time since near Toothill, Essex, when nine shoemaker's awls were found in the stomach of a bullock killed at that place. — J. Taylor, Jun.; Chenies, Bucks.

Cattle mouthing bones. — With reference to the communication in the last number of 'The Zoologist,' headed 'Singular act performed by a Cow,' related by Mr. Frederick Barlow (bearing also upon a former communication by Mr. Lewis), in which Mr. Barlow states that he observed the cow " for a considerable time with head up- lifted alternately protruding and drawing in, and at length dropping what he fancied was her tongue, but which upon examination proved to be part of a huge beef bone," would you allow me to suggest whether it might not be possible that the cow adopted this plan of relieving some itching eruption of the mouth. This is of course only a