66

as many thousands are pining to come back. Most of our young clerks are breaking stones upon the highways-a mode of practising vulgar fractions" they little dreamt of, when quitting salaries of £180 to £250 a year, in England, to search for gold, abroad. Well! good comes out of evil very often. When these young sparks return, let us hope they will have become "seasoned" by adversity, and better able to judge when they are "well off."]

course, he knows a good nut from a bad one, as soon as he touches it, without further ado. They readily breed in captivity, producing from five to eight at a birth. They come into the world blind and naked, and must not be disturbed too early in the nest, or the mother will prove infanticide. Otherwise, her affection for them is extreme; to secure a nest of young ones insures the securing of their parent. She will run squeaking down the branch of a tree into your very hand, with the delicate bristles of her tail erect, her eyes flashing tiny sparks of fire; in short, the miniature of a raging lioness. And her bite, though it won't do much more than draw blood, like a pin-prick, is sharp enough to make you cry out "oh!" and laugh at the same time. When the little ones make their appearance out of doors at last, and play about with their dam at nightfor their general habits are completely nocturnal in-and whisk their delicate feather-like tails, and twinkle their round black bead-like eyes, they are very taking little animals. And, as in other members of their tribe, those brilliant eyes are so convex and short-sighted, that you may watch them close at hand without their being aware of it; if you will only keep yourself quiet and silent. They must be kept in strict confinement, or they will hop off for a ramble, and forget to return. Still, they are used to a settled home, and like to have an apartment which they can call their own. We have shut our young friends out of their bed-chamber, and they have opened the door with their own little hands, to force their way back again in spite of us. I say "hands," because fore-paws" would not convey the use that is made of them. One poor fellow, being tired of a truant excursion in my bed-room, crept under the carpet for a quiet day's rest, and was unfortunately crushed there. A woodman, to whom we had given a general order, brought us in a large party of dormice. Next morning, three of them had escaped from their cage. One bold fellow was perched on the rod which supports the windowcurtains; the other two were cuddled together in the folds of the muslin, fast asleep, and rolled into a ball. In winter their sleep is so sound that respiration is suspended, and they are cold and death-like. Many a poor little innocent has been thrown out of the window by his capturer, under the impression that the vital spark had departed, while he was only slumbering a little more profoundly than usual, and enjoying a complete escape from the troubles of the world.—I trust this very graphic description may be the means of spreading far and wide the fame of this pretty little animal. His fine sparkling eye, and his most delectable tail, have oftentimes filled me with admiration of his beauty. To see him curled up, when asleep, would make anybody love him-at least I think so.-HEARTSEASE, Hants.

""

The Dormouse.-It may assist the interesting inquiry instituted in your last, about the tail of the Dormouse, if I send you some extracts I have copied from a recent number of " Household Words." At the same time, a good idea may be obtained of the animal's habits. The French call him "Croquenoix" or "crack walnut," but schoolboys like him best under the English name. The great point of the Croquenoix or Dormouse, the estimation of schoolboy fanciers, is its tail, on the length and beauty of which depends its value. Every other feature is sure to be pretty, but the tail itself is exceedingly fragile and precarious. If you lay hold of him by the tail while he is wide awake and in a state of alarm, he will make his escape most unexpectedly, by leaving the member (or its skin with the fur) in your hand. And a dormouse is not like a lizard; he cannot reproduce the loss. The disfigurement is never afterwards repaired. Therefore, the importance attached to the tail. The boys are the authority that there is a marked difference between the tails of the French and English dormouse. Therefore, they are probably, if not two distinct species, at least two decided and permanent varieties. Let us suppose so. The dormouse makes a round little nest of dried leaves, moss, and dead grass, and places it on the ground, or on the branch of a low bush. Here he sleeps all winter in solitary repose; every individual having a nest to himself-waking now and then on mild days, to munch a morsel of his nutty store. In confinement, dormice live happily enough in company, but the accustomed materials of their native habitation must be supplied to them for bedding; hair, wool, and what we might think warm and comfortable proving injurious to their health. It is odd that, although their home is amongst the trees, upon the branches, and in a chalk-bottomed forest where there is not a single permanent pond or brook, they are nevertheless very thirsty creatures, and are exceedingly fond of washing their face and hands. Except during rainy weather, the dew on the leaves must be the only available water they can find. The staple of their diet is nuts; almonds are particularly delighted in; but they now and then enjoy a green hazelleaf, or a slice of ripe fruit. Wild cherries abound in the forest; and the stones of these, which you find on the ground, often bear evidence of having had their kernels emptied by dormice. The little beast is not so foolish as to crack his nuts; that would give him unnecessary trouble He makes just one little hole in the shell, about as big as a pin's head, and through that he extracts, or laps out, the kernel with his tongue. By the way, he laps his drink like a dog or cat; and if he is very tame, or very thirsty (I would not say which), when you handle him, he will gently lick the moisture of perspiration from off your hand. Of

Abstinence in the Spider.-The following is copied from the Banffshire Journal.—" Mr. T. Edwards sends us the following curious particulars: Having mounted and arranged a number of birds, I put them in a case. The case had lain aside for a short time previous to the front, which is of glass, being put on ; and during this time a spider, doubtless on the look-out for a canny nook, managed to take up his quarters among the birds,

66

ready at half-past two, we started again, neither knowing nor caring which way we went, so long as we kept within scent of the "Bald-Face Stag." We now struck off to the left, and "Fino " soon spied some rabbits. Literally mad with delight, nothing could stop him, off he went like a greyhound. But it was all of no use; the little rabbits only laughed at him, and this made him still more mad. We rambled for some time, just where fancy or "Fino" led-now in a swamp, or a bog; now fishing in little ponds; searching under stones, or the bark of trees, &c. &c.; till our hearts were gladdened by the sound of "Cuckoo! Cuckoo!" the first time we had heard it this year. It was just eleven o'clock Suddenly, a peculiar bark was heard from old "Fino;" and looking round, we" Menthastri," "Urtica," Polychloros," "Busaw his tail wagging at an unusually brisk rate. cephala;" that we had taken "Rhizolitha," and On nearing the spot, we found him contemplating obtained some interesting larvæ, and our beetle a snake, some four feet long. At our approach, it bottle contained "Cicendella Campestris,” "Scaslipped into its hole; and then, good bye! After rabæus Eremita," "Aphodius Gagatis," and many this we broke into a singular field or rather opening others, as well as a quantity of water-beetles. in the forest, where an aged bird-catcher was After a while, dinner was announced. Just fancy, plying his vocation. "Good morning, old gentle- Mr. Editor, a beautiful knuckle of veal, done to a man!". -"Good morning, Sirs!"-and we soon nicety; some delicious spring pork, tender brocoli, entered into a familiar chat with our ornithological Guinness's best, and Charrington's super-extra, acquaintance. More than three-score years and ten just to relish a capital cheese. Then, an adjournhad evidently passed over his grey head; whilst ment to a neat little alcove in the garden, where his manners and language betokened him to be a we enjoyed a fine Havannah, and some brilliant man who had seen better days. Not that he was sherry; old "Fino," in the meanwhile, snoring at to be pitied! By no means! Yet did he seem a our feet, having first disposed of the residue of the man of gentler birth than bird-catchers generally veal and pork. Jolly were we all,-and merry. At a quarter past four o'clock we started on our return home, arriving at a quarter past seven. An early supper and a sound sleep, saw us next morning in tip-top spirits. BOMBYX ATLAS, Tottenham, May 13th, 1853.

are.

|

We learned from him that his early life had been spent near Liverpool, and that he had always loved birds, and knew full well their different songs;-[Here "Fino" jumped up to me, and whispered, "He is just the man for our Editor."]* -but that he now took them, more by way of amusement and recreation than from necessity. Cruelty to Animals, and its "Consequences."Also, that both himself and his wife had got a The recent death of Mr. Robert Owen, the emitolerable independence. I asked him if he had nent East India Warehouseman, of New Bond heard the nightingale this season, and he told me, Street-which took place on the 9th ult., was "Yes, on the 21st April, for the first time." We now brought on, it seems, by a severe shock occaparted from our friend, as he said he was going to sioned by cruelty to animals. The following repose for about two hours before his dinner, as he paragraph appeared in the Morning Post of was getting old, and felt rather tired. On looking May 11:-"The conviction, some short time around, we perceived a stone on which was marked since, of one of the deceased's employées, a young Loughton Parish." We struck again through man named KING, for his CRUELTY to a CAT, is the forest, retracing our steps. Hereabouts, old said to have so worked upon Mr. Owen's natu"Fino" made an awkward leap of it. He was rally sensitive disposition, as to have induced after the rabbits and springing over a hedge, with the illness which has unhappily terminated in out having sufficiently calculated his leap, or look- his death, leaving a widow and small family." ing before he leaped. He leaped, and fell, nose-Do, Mr. Editor, print this in OUR JOURNAL. foremost, into a soft bog. He was very wroth, but If that unfeeling wretch, KING, has the smallest a pond being near at hand, he soon washed his portion of a conscience left, he may perhaps even proboscis, and forgot all about it. At length we yet be brought to see that "roasting cats alive" is not such a very "harmless amusement." What has he not to answer for, in the death of his late excellent master !-SARAH P., Tiverton.

* Hark 'e, "Fino!" you read OUR JOURNAL to very little purpose, if you imagine we could like a man who traps birds, be he young or be he old. The practice of robbing birds of their liberty, under any circumstances, whether for profit or amusement, is brutal,-perfectly indefensible. The accounts that have reached us this very month of the barbarous atrocities perpetrated by these vilest of vagabonds, in all parts of the country, are heart-rending. The angelic voice of the nightingale has pleaded for him in vain. He has sung his own death-song; whilst parents out of number have been robbed of their feathered offspring without mercy. So, "Fino," shut up!-ED. K. J.

found ourselves au point 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 awn-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," "Persicaria," "Tiliæ," "Verbasci,"

66

[We would not add to the sting of torment that must, we imagine, haunt the conscience even of this very wicked man. He has indeed a fearfully-heavy load of guilt to answer for!]

Cure for the Sting of a Bee.-In most cases, the person stung can instantaneously obtain relief by pressing on the point stung with the tube of a key. This will extract the sting and relieve the pain; and the application of aqua ammonia (common spirits of hartshorn) will immediately remove it. The poison being of

an acid nature, is at once neutralised by the application of this penetrating and volatile alkali. A small quantity introduced into the wound on the point of a needle, or fine-nibbed pen, and applied as soon as possible, will scarcely ever fail.-R. B.

The Skylark, the Robin, Chaffinch, Cuckoo, &c. -Your noble appeal to man's better nature in the matter of imprisoning our little "free songsters," does you honor. I observe that your article on the subject has been copied far and near. May it have the effect you intended it to have! Brutal indeed must be the heart that could, at such a season as this, take pleasure in acts of spoliation and robbery! [You are right, Heartsease. Brutal indeed must it be-brutal indeed is it. Already do we behold remnants of nests torn out of the hedges; and see thousands of little beautifullyspotted eggs exposed for sale in the highways. Callow nestlings, too, meet our eye at every turn

many of them at their last gasp! The stolid faces of the robbers show that they have no heart beneath their vest. Hence, to argue with them would be folly. The sight is sickening; and the mind revolts at the barbarity. We would think well of human nature if we could-but is it possible?] The sky-larks now revel in enjoyment. I watch them and listen to them early and late. What music! what ecstatic delight as they enter Heaven's precincts! I can tell where they have been, by the celestial strains that accompany them in their descent. Our chaffinches are now all either building their nests or attending on their young. The cuckoo is right merry, singing away from morning to night. The swallows too, and our other summer visitors, have made our garden their home. Ours is a paradise of harmless delights. One of our pet robins has built its nest Nunneries, Convents, and Monasteries.-These and hatched its young family, in a small watering nurseries of crime and wickedness, Mr. Editor, pot. Being rusty and worn out, it was thrown are at last-thank God!—about to be placed under carelessly into a hedge; and whilst suspended some surveillance. Both yourself and readers there, the odd idea of using it as a nursery sugwill, I am sure, be glad to know that Mr. CHAM-gested itself to the happy pair, who, having furBERS' motion for leave to bring in a Bill connected nished it with oak leaves, now live in it rent-free. with the subject, has, after much opposition, just I only hope they may escape the fangs of those been carried. People brought up against their horrible cats! To see such very tame darlings torn will in these hot-beds of vice and pollution will to pieces would be heart-rending. As for the now be able, by legal means, to obtain their dis- garden and its attractions, the flowers, the bees, charge. It was high time to interfere; but, as the blossoms, &c., fain would I say "Come and see you will admit, "better late than never."-A them!" OUR EDITOR will always be welcome, I (NOW HAPPY) PROTESTANT PARENT, May 11. am sure, wherever he may go.-HEARTSEASE, Hants.

[We rejoice at this, Sir, quite as much as you can do. We are but too well aware of the horrors which rule in these foul dungeons of uncleanness and hideous depravity.]

Feigning Death to Save Life.-Self-preservation seems to be an inherent principle in animals a dread of pain and suffering, and a consciousness of death; which consciousness must be of the highest order in some animals, since they feign that death as the last remaining struggle for self-preservation, when all other hopes have failed. An implanted knowledge of the termination of life must exist, or its effects would not be feigned, nor the anxiety for safety be so paramount an object. It cannot be example that sets the fox to simulate death so perfectly that he permits himself to be handled, to be conveyed to a distant spot, and then to be flung on a dunghill. The ultimate hope of escape prompts the measure, which unaided instinct could not have contrived. What we, humanly speaking, call knowledge of the world, (which is the mainspring of half our acts and plans,) is the result of deep observation of character, and of the leading principles which influence society; and this would apply very well with fox in relation to fox. But the analogy must cease here; and we can only say that this artifice of the fox is an extraordinary display of high cunning, great self-confidence, and strong resolution. There are many insects, particularly the genus Elater, the spider, and the dorr-beetle, which feign death when seized by the hand.-THOMPSON.

may remain until the following March, when they must be potted off singly, for the decoration of the parterre.-W. BROWN, Merevale.

The Heliotrope. My plan of propagating this is as follows:-At the end of July, I select tops of young shoots, from three to four inches in length; cut them square (i.e. horizontally) at the bottom, close under a leaf, taking a few of the lower leaves away. I then insert them in a mixture of loam, rotten leaf-mould, and a little sand. I do not top them. I generally put from 40 to 50 cuttings in a broad shallow pot, and place them in a cold frame, sprinkling them now and then, to keep them moderately moist, and shading them from the sun. In this way, rarely one in 40 fails to grow. When rooted, I pot them off, from four to six in a pot, according to the size of the latter; preferring a certain number in one pot to a multitude of small pots. They are then stopped, and

[Thanks many, gentle Heartsease. We will, D.V., come and see what you so prettily and attractively record. Our "Engagement Book" is, we observe, filling fast. May the summer continue for a twelvemonth at least! Talking of those cats, reminds us that we have a tale to tell about that nest of seven robins, whose exodus from the green-house took place some weeks since. Of the whole family one only lives-the other six were torn limb from limb by two savage cats. Vain was it to attempt to drive them away. They haunted those poor little helpless nestlings from morning till night, till, one by one, they fell-either from fright or weakness, into their enemy's jaws. Retribution has done its work. Those cats, and some halfdozen others, preying upon our grounds, sleep in the dust. We have sworn an eternal war against the race, and our oath shall be held sacred. If people will keep cats, and daily divide a half

How can I remove Heat Marks from the Surface of a French Polished Table?-I have had the misfortune, Mr. Editor, to disfigure the top of a handsome table, French-polished, by placing on it some hot plates. Vainly have I tried to remove the marks. They remain, apparently indelible. Can any of your readers kindly assist me, by pointing out a remedy for the removal of these foul-VIOLET, Worcester. blots?-FRANK FREELY.