to spin; for the eyes, mouth, teeth,
ornaments of the head, and many other parts may be discovered better
in the _cast_-off skins than in the real animal."

P.T.W.

* * * * *

CUCKOO

Mr. Jerdan, editor of the _Literary Gazette_, in a letter to Mr.
Loudon, says, "about fifteen years ago I obtained a cuckoo from the
nest of (I think) a hedge sparrow, at Old Brompton, where I then
resided. It was rather curious, as being within ten yards of my house,
Cromwell Cottage, and in a narrow and much frequented lane, leading
from near Gloucester Lodge to Kensington. This bird I reared and kept
alive till late in January; when it fell suddenly from its perch,
while feeding on a rather large dew worm. It was buried: but I had,
long afterwards, strange misgivings, that my poor feathered favourite
was only choked by his food, or in a fit of some kind--his apparent
death was so extremely unexpected from his health and liveliness at
the time. I assure you that I regretted my loss much, my bird being in
full plumage and a very handsome creature. He was quite tame, for in
autumn I used to set him on a branch of a tree in the garden, while I
dug worms for him to dine upon, and he never attempted more than a
short friendly flight. During the coldest weather, and it was rather a
sharp winter, my only precaution was, nearly to cover his cage with
flannel; and when I used to take it off, more or less, on coming into
my breakfast room in the morning, I was recognised by him with
certainly not all the cry "unpleasant to a married ear," but with its
full half "_Cuck_! _Cuck_!"--the only sounds or notes I ever heard
from my bird. Though trifling, these facts may be so far curious as
illustrating the natural history of a remarkable genus, and I have
great pleasure in offering them for your excellent Journal." _Mag.
Nat. Hist._

* * * * *

MUSICAL SNAILS.

As I was sitting in my room, on the first floor, about nine P.M. (4th
of October last), I was surprised with what I supposed to be the notes
of a bird, under or upon the sill of a window. My impression was, that
they somewhat resembled the notes of a wild duck in its nocturnal
flight, and, at times, the twitter of a redbreast, in quick
succession. To be satisfied on the subject, I carefully removed the
shutter, and, to my surprise, found it was a garden snail, which, in
drawing itself along the glass, had produced so