80 NOTES—ORIGINAL AND SELECTED.
that he had always loved birds, and knew full well their different songs
—but that he now took them, more by way of amusement and recreation than
from necessity. Also, that both himself and his wife had got a tolerable
independence. I asked him if he had heard the nightingale this season, and he
told me, 'Yes, on the 21st April, for the first time.' We now parted from our
friend, as he said he was going to repose for about two hours before his dinner, as
he was getting old, and felt rather tired. On looking around, we perceived a
stone on which was marked 'Loughton Parish.' We struck again through the
forest, retracing our steps. Hereabouts, old 'Fino' made an awkward leap of
it. He was after the rabbits and springing over a hedge, without having
sufficiently calculated his leap, or looking before he leaped. He leaped, and fell,
nose foremost, into a soft bog. He was very wroth, but a pond being near at
hand, he soon washed his proboscis and forgot all about it. At length we
found ourselves au paint de depart; and being half-an-hour earlier than the time
appointed, we turned down a sweetly pretty lane to the right. Here on a sunny
bank, 'Fino' found another kind of sport, in the shape of some little fawn-
colored mice, which, however, I could not allow him to hunt or annoy. We
again turned back, and reached the 'Bald-Face Stag,' precisely at the hour
appointed—very hot, rather tired, very thirsty, and with an appetit de loup. We
were shown into a snug little room, and 'Fino' soon curled himself round in a
corner, dreaming of his glorious sport with the rabbits. Whilst dinner was
getting ready, we recollected that we had seen atalanta, rhamni, Persicariae,
tiliae, verbasci, menthastri, Urtica, polychloros, bucephala ; that we had
taken rhizolitha, and obtained some interesting larvae, and our beetle-bottle
contained Cicindela campestris, Scarabaeus eremita, Aphodius gagates, and
many others, as well as a quantity of water-beetles. After a while, dinner Was
announced. Just fancy, Mr. Editor, a beautiful knuckle of veal, done to a nicety,
some delicious spring pork, tender brocoli, Guinness's best, and Charrington's
super-extra, just to relish a capital cheese. Then, an adjournment to a neat little
alcove in the garden, where we enjoyed a fine Havannah, and some brilliant
sherry ; old 'Fino,' in the meanwhile, snoring at our feet, having first disposed
of the residue of the veal and pork. Jolly were we all—and merry. At a quarter
past four o'clock we started ou our return home, arriving at a quarter past
seven. Au early supper and a sound sleep, saw us next morning in tip-top
spirits.—Bombyx Atlas, Tottenham, May 13th, 1853."
Rustic Criticism of Geologic Theory.—Sir Archibald
Geikie tells the story in his Scottish Reminiscences, recently pub-
lished. "I was quite sure you had been in our neighbourhood,"
a friend said to him :—
" ' I met the old fanner of G——,' who had a strange tale to tell me. 'Dod!
Mr. Caithcart,' he began, 'I ran across the queerest body the ither day. As I
was comin' by the head o' the cleugh I thocht I heard a wheen tinkers quarrelin',
but when I lookit doon there was jist ae wee stout man. Whiles he was chappin'
the rocks wi' a hammer; whiles he was writin' in a book, whiles fechtin' wi' the
thorns, and miscair' them tor a' that was bad. When he cam' up frae the burn,
him and me had a long confab. Dod! he tell't me a' aboot the Stanes, and hoo
they showed that Scotland was ance like Greenland, smoored in ice. A vary
enterteenin' body, Mr. Caithcart, but—an awful awfu' leear,' "