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The Goodness of God, shown in the Structure and Adaptation of the Eyes of Insects.-How wonderfully constructed is the beautiful organ of insect vision! How admirably adapted to the necessities of insects! The gaudy dragon-fly, presenting, as he does, such a conspicuous tempt ing show of colors to the active swallow, eludes the feathered enemy by superior agility of flight. Mere agility, however, would avail nothing without the aid of powerful eyes. Accordingly, nature has given him somewhat more than twelve thousand, bright and piercing; some looking up wards, some downwards, some backwards, and some on either side. In the ants, there are fifty of these faces or eyes; in the horse-fly, four thousand; in butterflies, upwards of seventeen thousand three hundred and fifty-five have been counted-nay,in some coleopterous or scaly winged insects, there have been numbered no fewer than twenty-eight thousand and eighty-eight.-ROSE.

water in your face. It is a living creature and not
a flower, and has transformed itself into a cold
clot of gore as the best means of escaping from
your grasp. You will have a better chance of
capturing those which the tide has left entirely
dry. Here is one, plump and of a good color. It
has nothing to attach it to the limestone boulder,
save the pressure of the atmosphere acting on its
sucker-like base; but we may rend it to pieces
before we can get it off. And there are none to
be found (or very rarely) on pebbles of a portable
size; as if the creatures knew which was the
safest anchorage. We will have it, however, to
add to our menagerie. It is on the side of the
block, which is more convenient to us than the top.
With this lump of stone, I rap, tap, tap, just above
it, taking care not to touch its very crushable
person. See; it dislikes the jar, and is beginning
to give way. It drops, and I catch it in this
oyster-shell, which contains a tempting little pool
of salt-water. It settles; we may now put our
prisoner in our game-bag, and march off with it
home. Tame sea-anemones display great wilful-
ness, and, if not properly managed, a sulky tem-
per. The grand object is to have them show to
advantage, and make the best possible display
with their petals, or arms.
To effect this, you
must keep them very hungry; short commons are
sure to call forth their attractive endowments.
Like poets, and painters, and dancers, and singers

[Your remarks and observations of nature, ROSE, do you honor. Nature's goodness knows no bounds. Foreseeing the danger to which mankind are constantly exposed, she has bountifully given us, her children, two eyes, two legs, two feet, two ears, and two hands, so that, if either should sustain injury, there would still be another left to perform the extra duty. Some weeks since we had a heavy fall in the street, and sustained severe damage in our arm, elbow, hand, and fingers; so sadly were our sinews strained, that we omitting all mention of periodical prose-writers were for a length of time compelled to suspend the they exercise their talents for what they can wounded limb in a support, attached to the neck. get, as well as because it is their born vocation to Fortunately, our left arm was the sufferer. The please. Every petal is a movable member, whose right hand has, ever since, been doomed to cease-office is to provide for the central mouth. Drop a less toil. In perfect agony, it has travelled over pin's-head morsel of fish-meat just over the anereams of paper, and answered letters innumer-mone, so as to fall, while sinking, between the able. But it has done its duty; and we are thankful. During the extremity of our suffering, we could not help pondering much on that beautiful saying,-"If one member suffers, all the other members suffer with it." There assuredly is a remarkable sympathy in the different members of the body; and it is wisely ordained that it should be so.]

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The Sea Anemone.-I was very much pleased with that pretty article about the Dormouse, so kindly copied for you by your interesting correspondent Heartsease" (ante, p. 315). From the same source, I have busied myself in making a few extracts about the "Sea-Anemone," which will come in as a sequel to the particulars of that little creature, furnished at Page 186 of OUR JOURNAL. It is a "labor of love to work for Our Editor, and therefore I offer no apology-feeling sure of a welcome :-"Everybody has not seen a sea-anemone, although they are multitudinous on many parts of our coast. If you take a stroll at ebb-tide, below high water mark, along a rocky shore, you will find the boulders plentifully sprinkled with seeming specks of clotted blood. Touch them, and they shrink into a thin leathery patch. In the little pools which have been left by the retiring waves, you will observe apparent flowers of various sizes, from a sixpence to a five-shilling piece; and mostly of a dull deep crimson tint. You might fancy them a knot of self-sown, submarine German asters. Try to gather one, and it withers into nothing; perhaps squirting a few drops of

arms; and it is clutched by the one that is nearest
to it, and packed at once into the digestive reposi-
tory. But feast your flower, and he doubles him-
self up close-to open no more until he is again
half famished. Our sea-anemone travelled about
the glass, by sliding along, sometimes at quite a
perceptible rate, on his sucker. Now and then
his spirits drooped while changing his skin, which
came off occasionally in a filmy cuticle. On one
occasion only did he try to escape; and that was
when the water had become turbid, by shrimp-
flesh put in to feed his abominations, the crabs.
He climbed up the glass until he was almost
high and dry.
It was
as much as to ask us
to renew his bath. But the weather was
stormy, and we could not go to the beach for
his usual supply. Next morning he lay at the
bottom of the tumbler, all flabby and unattached.
We thought he was dead, but it was only a
piece of pouting. In an hour or two he was as
cheerful as ever. To reward his good conduct,
we descended the cliff, and tapped the raging
ocean at the risk of a good ducking. The sea-
anemone was perfectly amiable in comparison
with the tenants of an opposite tank. Spring
water was the element which filled a soup-
tureen that had ever been innocent of English
mock-turtle. Instead of the nutritious and deli-
cious and pernicious stuff, which, when cold,
you may chop with a hatchet, this vase of ab-
stinence had never got beyond sorrel and cab-
bage, with a Sunday bouillon in which were
swimming mighty islands of well-soaked crust.

Its contents were also maigre during its second
phase. On the surface floated a green bunch
of watercress; in the middle sported a leash of
stickle-backs, whose only pleasure was to fight
and dissect each other alive with their dorsal
thorn. At the bottom pined a pair of cray-fish, |
hating the light, disgusted at being stared at,
refusing to eat, and denouncing in their heart of
hearts the villanous temptation of the dead dog in
a faggot, which had brought them into this pale
captivity from their dear dark holes on the river's
bank. Be pleasant they would not, unless at night,
when we were all upstairs and fast asleep. Their
hearts were more obdurate than mine. They stood
out so well, and refused to be comforted so com-
pletely, that we turned them into a brook, to take
their chance. And yet they might have been
amusing, if they had not proved so nocturnal and
shy. They are the very miniature of the esculent
lobster, only of stronger build, and greater tenacity
of life; with the further claim to close relationship
by turning red when they are boiled."-The last
few paragraphs remind me of the collection of
zoophytes, molluscs, and other curious marine "fry"
now exhibiting at the Zoological Gardens, Regent's
Park. Have you seen this remarkable sight, my
dear Sir? If not, do; pray do. There is enough
to laugh at for a month at least!-HELEN W.
[Thank you,
kind Helen, for your valuable aid.
We are indeed grateful for such services-so
freely rendered! We have seen the "Vivarium"
in the Zoological Gardens; and we have
'laughed"-aye roared, at the doings of that "odd
assemblage" of living marine characters. You
will find an account of it in a former page (351).]

Insects, Ligustri, &c.-I may, perhaps, have been rather hasty in forming an opinion about Ligustri, mentioned in your last number. Let me, therefore, pay respect to the superior knowledge of "Bombyx Atlas." I imagined that the larva had not been pierced by an ichneumon, because, on dissecting it, I did not observe any of those minute maggots which I have seen in insects thus attacked. A subject of some interest was recently propounded to me, and perhaps some of your correspondents can throw some light on it. The question debated was this-whether Moths and Butterflies continue a fixed time in the pupa state. If they do so usually, how can we account for the great variations we sometimes meet with? Are they occasioned by differences in feeding, temperature, &c.? Thus, for instance, three caterpillars of Cucullia Asteris, which entered the earth on the dates September 20th, 21st, and 23rd, made their appearance from the chrysalis on the three following days-July 6th, | 7th, and 9th. But again, three caterpillars of Vinula formed their cocoons on August 15th, 18th, and 19th, respectively. Of these, the last appeared on the 1st of June, the second on the 7th, and the one that changed first came out on the 9th. Insects would appear therefore to be uncertain in the time of their appearance; so that we cannot rely on the statements in books regarding the time of obtaining them. The larva of Ocellata, for instance, is usually said to arrive in September to its full size. Of these, two were reared last year. One was full-grown in July, and the other at the end of August. Also in

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[The article which is facetiously sold in London as "milk," has been repeatedly analysed, and in very many cases has been found quite innocent of any acquaintance with a cow. It is a most horrible compound, for the most part, whose use habit alone has reconciled to the palate. We hold it in supreme abhorrence. There are thousands of poor animals (we grant) confined in sheds, cellars, stables, and hovels, which really are 16 cows; and by deluging their stomach with watery grains, some considerable quantity of sky-blue fluid is forced from them thrice, or oftener, daily-yet is this quite inadequate to supply a millionth part of London. Then again, large supplies of milk now arrive from all parts of the country daily. This may be milk when it arrives; but it is no secret that one gallon of it is, by the aid of water, converted into at least four gallons; and happy ought we to be even then, if it reaches us in that state. But, alas! no. The further process of reduction and addition, however, we will not inquire too closely into. We have heard it given in confidence, but it is too disgusting to repeat. And as for the manufacture of "London Cream,' this would be far too shocking to meet the of our readers in detail. It is plain, then, that there is not a sufficient supply of "milk" to admit of only one person in a thousand getting an ho mœopathic taste of it daily (we speak of London and the suburbs). The statistical account of the number of cows kept, proves this; and the ascertained quantity of milk sent up to assist in the supply, still further confirms it. "Ignorance" in this matter is "bliss." In our recent ramble through Hampshire, we did indeed get a taste of "milk." A taste? a feast! In a certain homestead, to which we have alluded in another part of our paper, we saw some very noble-looking cows, whose symmetrical proportions quite delighted us. Our kind hostess, observing the interest we took in the farm-yard and its associa tions, asked us-" if we were fond of milk?" Our reply was-a look in the affirmative. We added that, as we lived near London, it was very long since we had tasted any real milk. We observed a slight telegraphic communication pass between the mistress and a most good-tempered domestic, attached to the yard; and in a few moments there stood before us, in a pretty chamber, a bowl of the richest milk that was ever brought to table. The snowwhite froth on it heaved like the waving of a syllabub; and the aroma exhaled from it was quite a nosegay. Never shall we forget the kind look of that farm-servant, as he recognised the delight with which we quaffed from his mistress's royal bowl, and praised his handywork in its quick presentation on the table. (By the way,what a treat it is, to see how these domestics, in the heart of the country, love and esteem their em

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ployers! It quite rejoiced our heart. The man within. It appeared that a tit-mouse (the Parus of whom we speak, had lived here some eleven major, Joe Bent, or Ox-eye) had entered through years. His countenance was truly intelligent, the hole at the top of the inverted flower-pot; had and his bearing quite amiable). It would formed a nest on the ground; and was then sitting be unfair not to tell of all our treat. Some thin on ten eggs! The bird subsequently became acslices of home-made bread (of a slightly brown customed to visitors; and would allow the flowershade), so sweet that the taste yet lingers in our pot to be tilted, so that she might be seen on her mouth,-wedded to some home-made butter, im- eggs within. The nest is now filled with eight or parted to that new milk" a relish which we nine little tits; and it will be a matter of curiosity shall never forget. What is still better, there is to watch how, in the first instance, they will escape a pleasing prospect of its being-"repeated oc- from their confinement,- -as some skill and accucasionally." We have some half-dozen kind "in- racy of movement must be necessary in order to vites," too, to taste these rarities ("real" milk, pass through the only outlet,-the small hole, butter, and cream) in different parts of Devon- which is some nine or ten inches above, and which shire. On our return, we shall no doubt man-is only just large enough for the passage of the fully resolve to dispense with milk altogether; parent.-H. H. W., Combe Vicarage, Hants, taking our tea and coffee "neat." Shall we not June 21. pant for the summer of 1854 !]

Mesmerism as a Curative Power.-I have observed several hints in OUR JOURNAL, from time to time, connected with the subject of mesmerism; and I have noticed your bias in its favor. Having a card given me, I attended the recent Annual Meeting of the Committee of the Mesmeric Institution, held at Willis's Rooms, determined to see if I could understand the mystery. What I heard there was so marvellous, and yet apparently so true, that I confess I am puzzled. If the cures "said to be performed were really performed, we do indeed live in an age of wonders! Would you mind giving me your opinion upon the subject? I feel, my dear sir, that I can trust you safely.— MATILDA D., Tooting.

Metropolitan Fancy Rabbit Show.-As I reported proceedings for you last year-I do so again, with your permission. The Club held their summer exhibition (this being their 22nd session) on the 15th of June. Their place of rendezvous was, as usual, Anderton's Hotel; and as usual, the old respected Chairman, Dr. Handey, was found at his post. There was an excellent show of rabbits; all remarkably healthy, and all finely coated. The club, however, had not been quite so successful as usual in producing the length of ear. Mr. Parks carried off the first and second prizes. The third and subsequent prizes, were awarded respectively to Messrs. Stinton, Bird, Arnold, Handey, and Wynne. I enclose you all particulars, [All you heard stated, Mademoiselle, at the for the satisfaction of the curious. [We shall be meeting of June 17 (we were there from first to happy to show the list to any amateur who may last), you may give ready credence to. Earl feel interested.] After the exhibition had Stanhope, Dr. Elliotson, Professor De Morgan, concluded, the Chairman dwelt at large upon and indeed all who deposed to certain facts, are the general views of the Club, detailing entitled to the fullest confidence. You might well its progress, &c.; and wound up by pro- be astonished at what you heard. But this is posing in a bumper "Its continued suc- really nothing to what is in the near distance. cess. His health was then proposed with ac- What Dr. Esdaile is effecting in India (to the clamations. The same honor was also paid to details of which no doubt you listened in amazetheir Hon. Secretary, Mr. William Jones, and ment) will ere long be effected here. Our medical many high and deserved compliments were paid men, who once affected to despise mesmerism, are him for his great and unceasing exertions to pro- now (secretly) its warmest admirers. They do mote the welfare of the Club. Then followed a not speak well of it, nor practise it, simply beneat speech from Mr. Jones, which was enthusi- cause it would deprive them of their fees and astically applauded; and immediately afterwards, credulous patients. This alas! is "human nature." came the "flow of soul." The company were in But the curative power of mesmerism cannot be full festivity until 11. They then evaporated.-hid. It is spreading far and near. What did you OBSERVER.

think of the man who addressed the meeting on the north side of the room, and showed how scalds, burns, wounds, bruises, diarrhoea, &c., might be readily cured? Did not his words carry conviction with them, and reach your heart? The same with Captain Hudson's remarkable chain of facts. The evidence of this wonderful man (what a presence he has !), given as it was with all the emphasis and earnestness of conscious truthbore down all before it. Remember, what you heard were not loose statements; names were given, and references offered; so that deception was impossible. There is no secret in mesmerism,

Curious Situations for Birds' Nests. In one of the flower-baskets on my lawn (the bark having cracked and become partially separated from the wood), a blue titmouse has profited by the opening; and, passing through a passage of some length behind the bark, has found sufficient room for its nest, and is rearing its young successfully. In the neighboring church of Buttermere, a wren has filled one of the divisions of a window with its cosey domicile, and is sitting on its eggs at a distance of not more than 2 feet from the elbow of the preacher when in his pulpit. But the most-none whatever. We have practised it; you curious situation for a nest, is the following:-In the garden of a neighbor, a lady had placed a flowerpot over a patch of sweet-peas; and on removing it to ascertain the progress of the flowers, was surprised by the sudden escape of a bird from

can practise it. We have easily removed pain from sufferers; you can do the same. If you will oblige us with your full address, in confidence, we will explain further, and send you some singularly interesting facts. There is something about your

epistle (we mean the observations that we have not printed), that invests you with a peculiar interest in our eyes. Do not scruple to question us closely on any subject. You see by the extent of our reply to you, that we "read your character," and admire it; else should we have been very brief. Your concluding remark about Dr. Elliotson, is quite true. Brutally as he has been used by the world at large, and by the medical profession in particular, for persevering in his researches after truth, he is now placed on a pinnacle from which his brethren cannot hurl him down. They once hated him; they now tremble before his influence.]

Chickens Nursed and "Brooded" by a Spanish Cock.OUR JOURNAL being the recognised medium of communication for all matters of public interest, I have pleasure in sending you the following:-Some two years since, I purchased of Mr. Peck, Wigan, (the celebrated breeder of choice fowls,) a black Spanish cock. This is a most remarkable bird; for he actually plays the part of mother to a number of Cochin-China chickens, whose parent had unnaturally left them to shift for themselves. During rain, too, I have often noticed chickens taking shelter under his wings. A few evenings since, I found him in a pen-in company with two hens, each of which had a brood of chickens. On taking him up, he also was covering a number of little ones! I removed him immediately, and placed him in a pen by himself; when he became very excited,spreading out his wings like a broody hen, and clucking" in the hens' vernacular. Amazed at this, I turned thirty chickens into the same pen; when he at once settled down, and induced many of the chickens to nestle down under his wings. Others perched on his back, and the remainder settled close around him. What puzzles me still more is, the fact of the chickens being all strangers to him. For the last three months he has been out on "a walk," and only returned a fortnight since. Last year he was the father of some very fine chickens. Had he been a Capon (I hear these birds are occasionally used as "nurses"), I should not have marvelled so much. Can any of your readers account for this curious incident; or tell of any similar circumstance? For your private satisfaction I send (as you desire) my name and address.-J. S. H.

Nest of the Cole-Tit.-I am a dear lover of birds, Mr. Editor, and so are you. I therefore have pleasure in sending you the particulars of a Cole-Tit's nest. A pair of these pretty creatures have built their nest in an inverted flower-pot, size "No 16." It is on the ground; and through the top hole do they go in and out. The nest is made the exact size of the pot. It is composed of moss and wool, and is about four inches deep. In it were deposited, some weeks since, ten eggs. Whilst I write, there are ten fine birds nearly ready to take wing! I need not tell you how I love these little rogues-nor with what delight I shall watch their movements, and strive to protect them from the cats.-W. FOGUETT, Major, Stride House, Newport, I. W.

[We have (just now) several delightful scenes of this kind in our own garden. The birds love us for protecting them. Such droll manoeuvres

are there every day visible to deceive the cats! These vermin cannot get at the nests, but they too often take vengeance on the young, when they first come abroad. However, we know a "little secret "that infallibly keeps them quiet! Several of the monsters have been carefully watching a nest, containing a goodly number of young wrens. We have been as carefully watching them. The wrens may come out now-all danger is over!]

Ornithological Society, Rugby.-We have just held our General Meeting (June 13), and made our new appointments. Since I last wrote you, we have added many birds both to the Foreign and English Aviaries. In both there are at this time of writing a variety of nests. It being a rule however, with our Society, never to disturb birds whilst sitting, I cannot at present furnish particulars.

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[Your rule for not disturbing birds whilst sitting, deserves comment. is a most wholesome regulation. Were it more generally adopted, the increase of young birds, successfully reared, would be very considerable. Birds are as sensitive as we are; and dislike prying curiosity into their family arrangements. Leave them quiet, and they will rarely fail of their purpose.] In the Foreign Aviary, the cut-throats built and laid eggs; but being disturbed by the glaziers who were engaged above, putting in rough squares of glass-to diminish the heat of the sun, they forsook their nest. They have nested again, laid, and sat. No produce, however, rewarded their toil. This has disconcerted them. The bronzed Manikins, and the weaver-birds, have made several nests, but they have deposited no eggs. All the inmates are very healthy. In March last, our Bishop-bird was habited in a gay and brilliant dress. It had a splendid bright orange ruff round its neck-the lower part of its body being covered with feathers like the finest black silk velvet, and wings and tail fringed with bright orange. It is now changed in appearance to the female weaver-bird! The Avidavats have moulted four times during the year; and each moulting produces a different change in their appearance. The male weaver-bird became greatly altered in moulting. The feathers on the top of its head, and lower part of its body, became pink. The face now has the appearance of a black mask, and it has a dark crimson bill. The only change in the female is, that the bill from red has changed to yellow. The Cardinal in moulting, underwent no change in its appearance. Neither did the Spice-birds, Cut-throats, Java-sparrows, Bronzed Manikins, Shell-parrots or Harlequin Bishop-bird. The plumage of the Wax-bills has become lighter in color, with a beautiful pink underneath. The Indigo-birds have become more intensely blue, intermixed with slate-colored feathers. The feathers on the wings and back of the Widow-bird, changed from the appearance of black silk velvet to a brown color mixed with black.-C. J. BROMHEAD, (Chairman) College of the Deaf and Dumb, Rugby, June 14.

END OF VOLUME III.

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