There are six or seven generations of gnats in a summer, and each is estimated to lay 250 eggs.

To produce one pound of silk it requires 2,300 silk-worms. It would require 27,600 spiders to produce one pound of web. An attempt was once made to collect spider-webs for silk, and 4,000 spiders were obtained, but they soon killed each other.

Every pound of cochineal used for coloring contains 70,000 insects. Probably not less than a thousand pounds are annually used for scarlet and crimson dyes. There is iron enough in the blood of 42 men to make a plowshare weighing 24 pounds.

One pound of gold may be drawn into a wire that would extend around the world.

ORIGIN OF THE WORD ATTORNEY.-Lawyers are called attorneys, because, in the time of our Saxon ancestors, the freemen met twice a year under the precedency of the shire-reeve or sheriff, and this meeting was called the sheriff's torn. By degrees the freemen declined giving their personal attendance, and a freeman who did attend carried with him the proxies of such of his friends who could not appear. He who actually went to the sheriff's torn was paid, according to the old Saxon, " to go at the torn," and hence came the word "attorney," which signified one that went to the torn for others, carrying with him a power to act or vote for those who employed him. The distinction between attorney and solicitor arises from the latter practicing in a court of law.

CARTHAGINIAN NAMES.-The Phenicians and Carthaginians, and, indeed, nearly all the great ancient nations, gave to persons names which were partly formed of the names of their several divinities; hence their signification had reference to their idol gods. Abibal signifies Baal is my father, or my father is Baal; Ethbaal, with Baal; Asdrubal, help or assistance of Baal, Hannibal, grace or mercy of Baal.

BLANKET. This comfortable article took its name from one Thomas Blanquet, of Bristol, England, who established the first manufactory of blankets at that place, about the year 1340.

THIMBLES. These useful articles are of Dutch invention. The art of making them was brought into England by John Lofting, a Holland mechanic, who set up a workshop at Islington, near London, and commenced their manufacture about 1695.

OUR COUNTRY'S FATHER.-It was beautifully said of Washington, that Providence had blessed him with no children in order that the whole country might call him Father.

FORGIVENESS.-A blind girl on being asked to give the definition of forgiveness, replied: "It is the fragrance which flowers yield when they are trampled upon."

STRANGE.--The following list of words may all be formed from the letters in the word strange. There are sixty-two in all: Agnes, art, anger, are, agent, argent, age, ate, ant, at, an, as; eat, ear, east, erst, era; great, gate, gear, get, gnat, grate, grant, garnet, gas; nag, net, nest, neat, near; range, rag, rat, ran, rage, rang, rest, rent, rate; sage, sane, sat, sang, seat, set, sea, sent, sear, snare, star, stage, stag, stern, stare; tar, tag, tare, tea, tear, tan, ten.

TOAST.-The following comprehensive toast, by John G. Saxe, was read at the Lowell "Festival of the Sons and Daughters of Vermont."

"Vermont-famous for four great staples, namely: men, women, maple-sugar, and horses.

"The first are strong, the last are fleet,

The second and third are exceedingly sweet,
And all are uncommonly hard to beat."

AN ENIGMA-A LESSON FOR CHILDREN.

I am composed of twenty-seven letters.

My 18, 14, 11, 15, that which you should feel your parents to be.
My 9, 2, 5, 27-18, 5, 7, 21, that which you should gladly do.
My 7, 6, 5, 19, 1, you should always love.

My 8, 23, 22, 26, should be dearer than any other place.

My 20, 4, 3, 2, 5, 27, should always guide your actions.

My 18, 26, 16, 24, 25, you should always be prepared for.

My whole comprises six words, and forms a Scriptural commandment to be treasured in your memory.

J

PUZZLE OF THE STARS.

Readers of Our Museum, please show,
How you nine stars would so bestow,
Ten rows to form-in each row three-
Tell me, young friends, how this can be?

RIDDLE.

A word by grammarians used in our tongue,
Of such a construction is seen,

That if from five syllables you take away one,
No syllable then will remain.

Items and Events.

UMPING the rope is a healthful exercise, yet a dangerous one when carried

too far. For some time past little girls have seemed to have a mania for indulging in this exercise to an intemperate degree; in consequence, several have died from jumping the rope to excess. Instances have recently occurred, one in this State where the little girl died, and another in Massachusetts of a little girl who, at last accounts, was dangerously ill in consequence of jumping the rope five hundred times without cessation.

NEBRASKA. The bill for introducing slavery into this territory, alluded to in our last number, has been passed by Congress.

EMIGRATION from Europe, particularly from Germany, seems to be greater this season than ever before. On a single day, a few weeks since, 12,000 immigrants arrived at New York city-enough to people two or three towns at the West.

DEATH OF MONTGOMERY, THE POET.-James Montgomery died on the 30th of April last, at Sheffield, England, at the age of 82.

NOTICES.

Literary Notices.

Books noticed in THE STUDENT may be obtained by persons residing in any part of the United States, at their own post-office, free of postage, by inclosing the price here given, in a letter post-paid, and directing it to N. A. CALKINS, 348 Broadway, New York.

A CHILD'S HISTORY OF ENGLAND. By Charles minutely drawn, and the reader will not forget Dickens. Containing the history of England his quaint and abrupt manner, nor tarry long from ancient times down to 1837. Published in his company without many a hearty laugh. by Harper & Brothers, New York. In two volumes, 18mo; about 300 pages each. Mus- It is an attractive book-just one of those you can not leave until is is finished. Price by mail, $1 00

A

SWISS HERDSMAN.

MONG the Alpine ranges of Switzerland, the Tyrol, and Italy, on the approach of summer, the peasants lead their herds up to the pastures on the mountains. These, from their height and coldness, are uninhabitable during the winter and early spring months; and some of them do not afford food for the cattle until late in June.

VOL. IX. NO. 3.-JULY, 1854.

In these Alpine heights are built log huts, called châlets (shal-leys), in which the herdsmen are sheltered.

When the snows have disappeared from the mountain pastures, and the summer's warmth has covered their sunny slopes with fresh verdure, the herdsman, who loves his mountain life as the sailor loves the sea, joyously prepares to leave the valley. As these pastures are accessible only by steep and winding foot-paths, the few articles of food, and the simple household furniture for making butter and cheese, are carried up on the backs of the herdsmen. Supported by their broad shoulders, these athletic men bear a large basket filled with the smaller utensils, such as a milk-strainer, a onelegged stool, a cheese-mold, and some straw; besides, he carries the press on which the cheeses are to be placed to drain, a large kettle in which the milk is collected, heated, and made into curds, also a churn, milk-pails, and a few other implements.

The herdsman usually carries a heavy staff, pointed with iron, on which he leans for support during his more rugged ascents. This instrument also serves as a formidable weapon of defense in his powerful hand. Thus laden he sets out for his summer's sojourn amid the mountains, to pass his time with his cattle in entire solitude.

The foregoing sketch is a very excellent illustration of the herdsman as he begins to ascend the mountain. He stands on an elevation far above the valley where he has just left his family, and turns an affectionate glance toward his home. He sees the smoke issuing from the roof which sheltered him during the storms of winter, and beneath which his wife and children still reside. He thinks how happy he has been in that home, and how those whom he has left in his châlet will miss him at the frugal meal. But his herd of cows and goats have gone on before him, and he proceeds on his way leaving these cherished objects behind, with hopes of a prosperous season, and of a joyful greeting on his return.

The life of the Swiss herdsman is not an idle one, as it is often described to be; he has to collect ten or fifteen cows twice a day to be milked, many of which may have strayed away in different directions. Besides this, he makes the cheese and the butter, and keeps his utensils clean. As these people lead a migratory life, they can not build barns or yards to keep their cattle secure at night and to shelter them in stormy weather, hence it frequently happens, amid severe storms, that the herdsmen are up all night in the mountains, calling to their cattle, as without this precaution they might take fright, run into dangers, and be lost.