15 JANUARY 1927, Page 13

young water birds; frogs, fish of very considerable size and

spawn. They do not breed nearly so freely es most of their victims, but their longevity makes up for this deficiency. What age they may have achieved I do not know. My oldest Personal acquaintance lived in solitary glory in a small pond in the garden of a Northamptonshire rectory. He had been there over thirty years when last I heard of hini. Doubtless others have older friends.