Page:The Zoologist, 4th series, vol 6 (1902).djvu/466

400 clusions bore witness to the originality of its author's researches. The work was illustrated by drawings from his own hand. "The more I study the fishes of the 'Old Red,'" wrote Huxley twenty years after, "the more I am struck with the patience and sagacity manifested in Hugh Miller's researches, and by the natural insight, which in his case seems to have supplied the place of special anatomical knowledge."

In a centenary address, Sir A. Geikie remarked: "Hugh Miller's researches among the fishes of the Old Red Sandstone showed him to be a naturalist and palaeontologist. It was Hugh Miller's 'Old Red Sandstone' that first revealed to him (Sir A. Geikie) the meaning in the commonest stones beneath his feet."

contributor Mr. W. Ruskin Butterfield has recently communicated a letter to the 'Times' on the subject of "The Preservation of our rarer mammals." The following is an extract:—Certain of our native mammals are so rapidly approaching extinction that for some time it has been a matter of the gravest concern to those who are interested in their survival. Unfortunately, in seeking the attention of those to whom, directly or indirectly, the blame attaches, one labours under an obvious disadvantage. On estates where the production of large quantities of game is the "be-all and the end-all," any but a very sparing admixture of carnivorous mammals is out of the question. It by no means follows, however, that the total extirpation of these animals is necessary. I believe a small admixture to be not inconsistent with the best results. In dealing with vermin, game preservers too often lose sight of the zoological aspect of the question. There can be no doubt that carnivores play an important part in the economy of nature. When an admixture of animals (no matter of what class) is subjected to the rapacious attacks of other animals, the tendency must always be for the former to become more vigorous, since those individuals best able to withstand attack survive. I hope this point, which has been insisted upon by many naturalists, will have some weight in the right quarters.

officers, experimenting with a balloon some 6,000 ft. aloft, noticed a little black speck which seemed to accompany them, and which they thought was one of the cards which they carry for throwing out reports, and that the dropping of the balloon drew it along, but on looking at the barometer they found the balloon was rising, and not dropping. Suddenly, however, a loud chirping showed that it was a Lark, which, flying at this extraordinary height, had been frightened by the balloon.—Westminster Gazette.