Page:The Zoologist, 4th series, vol 1 (1897).djvu/72

46 flocks of Wood Pigeons, numbering many hundreds, in Croham Hurst and the surrounding woods. They are much more numerous this year than usual, and they have evidently been attracted by the abundance of acorns. He was told by a keeper that he had never seen Wood Pigeons in such enormous numbers. They do not appear to do any damage to the crops. In all probability many have come over from the Continent.

days ago the father of the late Richard Jefferies passed away at Bath, where he had lived in retirement for some years. To his father the author of 'The Gamekeeper at Home' owed much of his early intimacy with Nature in all her various moods. Mr. Jefferies belonged to the sturdy yeoman class, and formerly farmed Coate Farm, in Swindon, where Richard was born and brought up. Adjoining the farm were the estates of the Dean and Chapter of Westminster, which were full of ground game, and over which the family roamed at pleasure. Stretching a few miles distant stood the Downs, whose outlines and features became so familiar to the author of 'Wild Life in a Southern County'; while in another direction a ten-mile walk brought one to Savernake. Amidst these natural surroundings the father trained his boys' observant faculties in every possible way.

have just heard from our friend and indefatigable collector, Dr. Percy Rendall, whose African collections, made west, south, and east of the Continent, have already borne good fruit, and are expected to produce much more when his material is thoroughly worked out. His last letter was from St. Helena, and he proposes visiting Trinidad, and perhaps St. Lucia and St. Vincent, on his way home. Probably the Tring Museum will be enriched thereby.

"legends" in British Zoology are reported abroad may be seen from the following extract from 'The Two Republics,' published in the city of Mexico. As may be noticed, it is again copied from one of the United States journals:—

"A queer story is told of an English naturalist, who died in 1860, and was buried at Blankney, in Lincolnshire. Among his pets was a large grey Bat. This Bat was permitted to enter the tomb, and was sealed up alive along with the corpse of his dead master. In 1866 the vault was opened, and to the surprise of all the Bat was alive and fat. On four different occasions since, the relatives of the dead man have looked after the welfare of his pet, aud each time it has been reported that the Bat was still in the land of the living, although occupying quarters with the dead. It was last seen in 1892."—('Cincinnati Enquirer.')