from the hook in a clever manner, as a weaver drew toward the scene. He asked me for a flyhook; when I gave him a large green imitation of a libellula, having no smaller specimen to offer. I told him to throw where I fancied my victim was hiding; having done so, he caught it soon, with my bait-hook unwormed.-Captain J. R. DUST FLOATING IN THE AIR. M. Pouchet finds that the dust floating in the air contains the detritus of the mineral constituents of the globe, atoms of animals, and plants, and the finest debris of all the matters we make use of. But one item he especially points out, viz., wheat starch, which is invariably found in the dust, whether old or recent. Surprised at the quantity of it present among the aerial corpuscules, M. Pouchet investigated the dust of all ages and of every locality; and everywhere he found this wheat starch presented. "I have found the starch in the most inaccessible corners of gothic churches, mixed with dust blackened by six or eight centuries of existence. I have found it in the palace and caves of the Thebaid, where it may have dated from the time of the Pharaohs! I have found it in the tympana cavity of the tympanum of a mummified dog, which I had found in a subterranean temple of Upper Egypt. In all countries, in a word, where wheat forms the staple of food, starch always penetrates into the dust, and is met with in greater or less quantities. Hence, therefore, the corpuscules, of which we have heard so much, are granules of starch and silica." Twice only in a thousand experiments has M. Pouchet observed the large ova of infusoria in the atmospheric dust.-Medical Times. ANSWERS TO QUERIES. MAGPIE SUPERSTITION (p. 12). In reading your January number, I find in the "Notes and Queries for Naturalists," that H. W. Ayre asks the correct version of the "Magpie Superstition." I may be mistaken, but I have always considered the following to be correct: "One for sorrow, two for mirth, Three for a wedding, four for a birth, THE SALAMANDER (p. 105) is a reptile of the order called Batrachians, which includes all the reptiles with naked bodies, without the hard covering of the tortoise, or the scales of the serpent; but which bear a near resemblance to the frog tribe. It is amphibious; during the spring and summer it changes its skin every fourth or fifth day, and in winter every fifteen days. It is from eight to eighteen inches long; colour usually black, spotted with yellow. The stories of its being able to live in fire are fabulous, and owe their origin to the natural means of selfdefence with which it is gifted; its body being covered with pores, from which, when alarmed, or suffering pain, an acrid humour exudes, which is able to quench the fury of flames, and thus give it means to escape.-AGNESE. COMMON FLIES (p. 105).-"Bobby B." would no doubt find it very difficult to walk up a perpendicular pane of glass, or on the ceiling, with his head downwards, as the flies do. He asks how this feat is accomplished. We will tell him. Each foot of the fly is furnished with an apparatus, by which they can form a vacuum so as to adhere by atmospheric pressure to the surface on which they are moving, just as an egg-cup or other hollow object will adhere to the mouth, when the air is sucked out of it by a strong inspiration, or in-drawing of the breath. The apparatus in the foot of the Musca Vomitoria, as naturalists call the common House Fly, consists of two suckers connected with the last joint of the tarsus, or upper part of the foot, being imme diately under the root of each claw; each sucker is connected with the tarsus by a funnel-shaped neck, which can be expanded or contracted so as to suck up the air from the hollow beneath it, as to cause what is called a vacuum-that is, a space without air. The suckers themselves can be extended over a considerable space; they have serrated or saw-like edges, and a downy lining. When in action, the pair on each foot are separated from each other; and when not, they are brought together again, so as to be confined within the space between the two claws. Under a microscope the peculiarities of structure of this beautiful apparatus are clearly exhibited. Like the proboscis or trunk, and every other part of this common insect, they are well worthy of close attention. And, indeed, this is the case with all the creatures which God has made, even the smallest. "Bobby B." does well to inquire into these things. We shall be glad at all times to answer his questions.-H. G. A. THE ROSE MAGGOT (p. 105).—“Rosa" inquires how this pest of the greenhouse and rosary is to be destroyed. We cannot answer her query better than in the words of the editor of a periodical devoted to floriculture and kindred subjects. Of the natural history of the grub (for such it no doubt is), we have not met with any account:- "Judging by the roses in the forcing houses, this pest is likely to be unusually abundant during the present year, owing probably to the dry, warm weather of the past. Its ravages seem to be taking a new direction. It is well known that the growing points of the young shoots are its favourite haunts in the earliest stages of the plant's growth, and after that the back of the young leaves. This year, contrary to my former experience, it has, in numerous instances, eaten into the leaf-stalk, pursuing its course along the interior upwards or downwards, as the case may be. My attention was first called to this matter by observing the leaflets hang withered, which was at first attributed to the sun acting through the glass, or to the water having been thrown too heavily on them with the syringe. A leaf was dissected and placed beneath the microscope, when lo! the truth was revealed, the depredator was caught in the interior of the leaf-stalk, which he had hollowed out for an inch or more. It is not too soon to sound the note of alarm, and rose cultivators (especially exhibitors) will do well to look to it if they would escape its ravages. The only remedy is to search closely, and from time to time from the earliest stages of the plant's growth, for the insect is often not thicker than a hair, and springs suddenly into existence at various epochs." BARNACLES (p. 105).—" Julia” may rest assured that the curious "snakey-looking things" which she saw covering the piece of timber could never by any possibility become geese; although some ancient naturalists have asserted that such a transformation actually took place; and although a kind of wild fowl which sometimes visits these islands in winter is called the Barnacle Goose, probably because it was believed of old to be the identical species into which the said Barnacles change. These "Sea Acorns," as they are sometimes called, do, however, undergo some very strange transformations. At first they are lively, active little creatures, all eyes and fringes, and wavy lines, of a most grotesque shape: as different as possible from the long, fleshy stalks, terminated with hairy appendages, surrounded and guarded by clear brittle shells of a bluish pink colour. These creatures belong to the class of animals called by naturalists Cirrhopoda, a Greek word signifying hairy-foot, and their cirrhi, or hairs, which resemble small plumes of purple feathers, are in fact the arms, with which, when they give up their wandering mode of existence, and change into little helmeted snakes, they obtain food. When the Barnacles are alive in the water, these are projected from the shells, and constantly in motion, shooting out and spreading like a net, then drawing in again, and bringing to the mouth the floating animalculæ. These creatures sometimes attach themselves to the bottoms of ships so thickly as actually to impede their progress; but they do not, like the boring Teredines or ship worms, injure the timber. The shell at the end of each stalk which pertains to one animal is composed of five pieces, joined together by mem branes; it is therefore called Multivalve, many hinged, or jointed. Within this coat of mail lies the Barnacle, whose head is at the top of the stalk. Joined to it is the tail, which is bordered on each side by six lobes, each of which supports a pair of the long ciliated or hairy arms, called, as before stated, cirrhi.-H. G. A. QUERIES. to the habitation of the mole, and should be glad Mould-Warp.-I have heard this term applied to know if it is, or was, anywhere commonly so called ? and also, whether the term "mould" in the lines by Milton"For God had thrown That mountain as his garden-mould, high raised Above the rapid current" has any reference to the mole-hill ?-A STUDENT OF NATURE. by the occurrence of these two words in a book of Agama and Agami.-I have been rather puzzled natural history which has come under my notice lately; as I cannot quite make out to what sort of creatures they refer. One, I believe, has reference but I do not know which is which. Please give to some kind of reptiles, and the other to birds; me a clearer definition than did the negro when he said "Pompey and Cæsar him berry much alike, specially Pompey."-WILLIAM G. A Wolf's Tooth.-I have somewhere read that a tooth of the wolf has been recommended as a sort of charm for difficult dentition in children. What is the origin of this superstition; in what country, and at what time, was it prevalent; and has it yet quite died out?-DENTATUS. Burying Beetles.-Will you please give, next month, some account of the beetles which I have heard are in the habit of burying any animal substance which they may find? I wish to know how they do it, and what they do it for ?-HENRY. Lichens.-I have often seen the trunks of trees and old posts and palings adorned with beautiful bright red and yellow colours, as if they had been painted; and I have been told that they are which is properly pronounced licken-belongs to lichens. Our dictionary tells me that the wordan order of plants of a very low organisation, which grow in such places as I have mentioned. But I want to know more about them.-HENRY. INSERTION FOR A PETTICOAT. [IN Paris, insertions in embroidery and Guipure lace have superseded the deep embroidery trimmings for petticoats. It is now the mode to have several tucks the same width as the insertion, and the latter placed between each tuck. The pattern given is strong, and easily and rapidly worked.] Materials. -Messrs. Walter Evans & Co's. Boar's Head cotton, No. 20; No. 4 Penelope Hook and a piece of tape, of the kind known by the names of Chinese tape, and Twilled tape; this kind wears weil and does not get hard or curl in the washing. First Row.-7 ch unite in a circle; *5 ch 3 Dc u (or under) this circle. Repeat from 3 times more. Do not fasten off untill the square is completed. Second Row.-3 Dc up the 5 ch; 5 ch De u same. 3 ch De in the centre of the 3 Dc; 3 ch De u 5 ch. Repeat from *. Third Row.- 5 ch De u same 5 ch; 3 ch De u each 3 ch for twice; 3 ch De u 5 ch. Repeat from *. Fourth Row. 5 ch Dc u same 5 ch; 7 ch Dc u 2nd 3 ch; 7 ch De u 5 ch at corner. Repeat from *. Fifth Row.-4 De u same 5 ch; 1 ch; 4 more Dc u same; *9 Dc u each 7 ch; 4 Dc 1 ch, 4 more Dc u 5 ch at corner. Repeat from *. Sixth Row.-A row of Dc all round making 1 ch at each corner. At the end fasten off Seventh Row.-De in the 1 ch at the corner; * 13 ch 1 L on centre of the row of Dc; 5 ch 1 L iu same loop; 13 ch De in 1 ch at corner; 5 ch De in same loop. Repeat from * all round ending with 7 ch Dc in same loop where the 1st 13 ch commenced. Eighth Row.-10 Dc 2 ch 10 more Dc u 13 ch; 5 Dc u 5 ch. Repeat from * all round. Fasten off. Make as many pieces as are required and join them together, as in engraving. Sew a piece of tape along each edge. Fill up the spaces (as in engraving) with open button-hole stitch. PEN-WIPER FOR A WRITING-TABLE OR INKSTAND. BY MRS. WARREN. velvet a little over three and a-half inches PEN-WIPER FOR A WRITING-TABLE in diameter. Tack this circle on to the net, OR INK-STAND. then bind both together at the edge with Materials-Messrs. Walter Evans & Co.'s No. the ribbon; then mark the centre and place 20 Boar's Head cotton; a piece of velvet four the gold star upon it. Tack down the point inches square; half an-ounce of beads of each of each leaf with one single stitch and kind, namely white chalk, crystal, and about secure it in the same way in the centre. forty beads of cut garnet, all to be of the same Now thread 4 garnet beads and mark each size; a tiny piece of gold paper, the size of the division of leaf with 4 garnet, then thread engraved star; two yards of narrow ribbon at a 6 garnet and tack each centre of leaf untill halfpenny or a penny per yard; and some fine cloth or coloured flannel to make the circles for within a small portion of the point. At the absorbing the ink, and a piece of black stiff net end of these garnet place 3 chalk beads. (such as is used for lining curtains of bonnets) of Now fill up the remainder of each leaf with crystal beads-but to terminate at the point of leaf with two or three chalk beads, as may be required. the same size as the velvet. First cut in gold paper the size and shape of the engraved star, then cut a circle of I SIZE AND SHAPE OF STAR. THE END OF JOSEPHINE'S DREAM. The centre is formed by threading 8 chalk beads and letting them lie in raised loops across, for about 4 loops, then reversing them so as to form a raised centre. The detached sprigs are made by threading 4 crystal beads, making a slanting stitch to the right the length of these 4 beads, then 4 beads and a slanting stitch to the left. Then 2 beads and a straight stitch for the stem. Then again 4 beads on each side and 2 beads straight to finish the stem. For the edge. Run the ribbon up and down in a zigzag form, so that when drawn up very close it forms a small pointed trimming, sew this on to the edge; and for the bead circles, thread 7 crystal beads, place the needle upwards through the two first beads which will draw them up in a circle; sew these down on the ribbon; then sew one white chalk bead in the centre.. Napoleon gave no other signs of emotion than the pertinacity with which he averted THE report of the proceedings of this his eyes from the face of his almost coneventful morning, which was publicly pro- vulsed victim; his voice was clear and mulgated, was very far from a correct one. steady, and his attitude firm. He was Instead of delivering the calm unembarassed already looking beyond the troubled present address which an audacious diplomacy attri- into the brilliant future which was to bebuted to the Empress, and which was, in hold him the Corsican refugee, and the point of fact, the composition of Regnault military adventurer the husband of a de Saint Jean d'Angely, the spirit-bowed daughter of the Cæsars! At length all the Josephine could not utter a syllable. In necessary ceremonies had been observed; vain she spread her fan before her face, she the irrevocable step had been taken, and as could conceal neither her sobs nor the shi- he rose from his seat, the children of Josevering, which at intervals shook her whole phine hurried their mother from the room frame; Cambaceres was compelled to guide while she struggled to suppress the evidence her hand as she affixed her signature to the of her anguish, in order not to betray it to fatal document. The poor Queen of Hol- the throng of officials who crowded the land, who was little less overcome than her State apartments. At mid-day on the mother, looked almost in vain around her morrow, after the night of tempest we have for consolation and support; for, with the already described, and while Napoleon and exception of the Queen of Spain and West- his generals were reviewing the troops in phalia, no one appeared to feel the slightest the square of the Carrousel, she was seen, sympathy in her sorrow; while, on the con- accompanied by her daughter, to enter her trary, she detected in several of Napoleon's carriage, never more to return to the Tuilrelatives the unconcealed evidence of a eries. "A la Malmaison," shouted the satisfaction as ill-timed as it was ungene-mounted equerry-and thus finished for rous. The Kings of Holland and Naples Josephine Tascher de la Pagerie, the empty behaved admirably; but Caroline and dream of greatness by which she had been Pauline scarcely endeavoured to control so long beguiled. their triumphant exultation, and exchanged glances which were neither unobserved nor misinterpreted by those who intercepted them. Madame Bonaparte, in the meanwhile, sat cold and silent. She had never loved her daughter-in-law, and was too proud to feign what she did not feel. HUMAN SOCIETY may be compared to a heap of embers, which, when placed asunder, can retain neither their light nor heat, amidst the surrounding elements; but when brought together, they flame breaks forth, and not only defends itself, but mutually give heat and light to each other; the subdues everything around it.-Reid's Essays. |