common among plants, unless we include you think of eggs that grow, and of eggs that those orchidaceous flowers which exasperating have eyes? It would certainly be convenient cultivators assert to live entirely on hair. if we could introduce a race of poultry whose Talking of hair, the skin disease by which oval produce should possess the former qualiour locks are shorn, is believed to be of fun-fication of increasing in size as they lay in the gus origin. In unfavorable seasons, silk-egg-basket, though inexperienced houseworm caterpillars are destroyed by myriads keepers might feel a little trepidation at the from the ravages of a minute cryptogamic angry glances shot by eggs threatened with a plant, or mould-fungus, which takes a fancy to grow on their outer integument.

higher temperature than that required for hatching. In the insect world, such facts do Is everything that crawls a VERMIN, desery- occur. The abominable though glossy and ing only to be crushed underfoot? Mr. gauzy-winged fly, which is the development Douglas' report of insects-doing would lead of the odious gooseberry-grub, lays very soft us to respite many humble victims, and at and half-transparent white eggs. After the least amuse ourselves for awhile with their first day, these horrid eggs begin to grow, drolleries, before carrying the sentence of and before the end of a week, they have death into execution. The students at our grown to three times their original size. The Inns of Court eat their way onward, and head of the egg always lies towards the tip of advance to their adult professional state by the gooseberry-leaf, for the convenience of dining in Hall; so do moths. The larvae of looking out for squalls, and is remarkable for the pretty little Exapate gelatella are internal having two black eyes, placed very far apart, feeders, living principally IN the decayed and quite on the sides; indeed, so far asunder branches of white-thorn, and, in a great are these eyes, that, like the hind-buttons on many instances, under the bark of the living the coat of a certain illustrious coachman, it stem. The apple-moth, a beautiful little is very difficult to bring both into the same creature, whose wings are studded with sil- field of view. very-shining specs, as though they were in- The humming-bird sphinx does not sit laid with precious gems, is hatched from an down to take its meals, but feeds, as the lark egg laid, in the middle of June, in the crown sings, on the wing, which most people would of an infant apple. As soon as the egg fancy to be very uncomfortable as well as hatches, the young grub gnaws a tiny hole, difficult. Alderman Tooentistun would not and soon buries itself in the substance of the like to have to swallow his turtle and punch future fruit. He takes care to make himself in a state of bodily suspense, maintained by a ventilator and dust-hole, and then progresses a rapid vibration of his upper extremities. to the centre of the apple, where he feeds Jenny Lind may represent the Swedish nightat his ease. When within a few days of be- ingale; but she cannot personate either the ing full-fed, he, for the first time, enters the Swedish lark or the Swedish sphinx. But core through a round hole gnawed in the insect eccentricities are endless. Aphides hard, horny substance, which always separ- think fit, during the whole of summer, to ates the pips from the pulp of the fruit, and increase, like tiger-lilies, by buds; just as the destroyer now finds himself in that spa- Sir Thomas Browne wished that mankind cious chamber which codlings in particular could be increased, like willow-trees, by cutalways have in their centre. From this time tings. A late intelligent orang-outang was fond he eats only the pips, never again tasting the of taking a lady's shawl, politely and with more common pulp, which hitherto had satis-permission, from her back, and of strutting fied his unsophisticated palate; now, nothing up and down with it displayed on his own less than the highly-flavored aromatic kernels hairy shoulders; in like manner, the larva of will suit his tooth, and on these, for a few the Coleophora gryphipeanella moth borrows days, he feasts in luxury, till it is time for the loan of a coat from a rose-leaf. Not him to eat his way out again. The larvae of many moths and butterflies, when tired of their present existence, hang themselves; but the act is anything but suicidal. They step out of their coffins as neat as new pins, smartly dressed in a fresh suit of clothes. What do

content with eating the parenchyma, or fleshy substance between the upper and under skins of the leaf, it makes a covering for its body from the upper skin only, using as much as it wants for its wrapper, which it folds round itself in the most becoming style, leaving one

It is of

of a tree is an old-fashioned piece of gallantry not yet quite obsolete, nor without a certain effect on the fair one; but if you are courting a four-winged lady-love, stick by night on the bark of your tree as many lumps of sugar dipped in ale as there are letters in her surname MоTH, and the chances are that she will be captivated and captured by the bait.

end open, through which it protrudes the better to pin and kill them at once. head and segments bearing the legs; thus no avail to use sugar in the vicinity of attrac attired, it walks about, always carrying its tive flowers, such as those of sallow, lime, clothing with it, which, as the tenant grows, or ivy. Wasps and bats also come, but not is increased from time to time by additions of to the collector's assistance. The former are more leaf. Comical things are these moving attracted by the sweets, the latter by the cones; like tipsy men, they seem always to moths; and you may see them go in before be in danger of toppling over. But this you, and pick off a beauty that you would mishap rarely occurs; and if by accident the not have lost for half-a-dozen sugar-loaves. caterpillar do lose its hold, it does not fall, Armed with sugar as a spell, the collector but swings down gently by a silken thread becomes a sorcerer, and summons to his preskept in readiness for such accidents. One ence at his will the moths which, like spirits, of the beautiful metallic Adelæ, or long-lie all around, invisible to mortal ken. To horned moths, Nemotois cupriacellus, is a carve your sweetheart's name on the trunk sort of Amazon, having sent the gentlemen of their community so completely to Coventry, that the male insect is unknown to collectors; none but females have ever been captured. Our only hope of getting at the masculine gender lies in the astuteness of Mr. Doubleday. That gentleman, a very Ulysses in his dealings with things that fly by night, discovered the attractive powers of sallow blossoms, and about the same time found out We hear a deal of talk about good men that a mixture of sugar and beer, mixed to a and women; pray what is a good insect? consistence somewhat thinner than treacle, is Because, sometimes one of the Geometrinæ a most attractive bait to the Noctuinæ. The will come to your lure, and occasionally a revolution wrought in our collections, and good beetle. Not rarely, a good insect may our knowledge of species since its use, is won- be seen sunning himself on the banks of derful. Species that used to be so rare, that fences. The Camberwell Beauty and the it seemed hopeless to think of possessing Purple Emperor are both, it seems, good them, and others not then known at all, have butterflies. The Captain Bold of Halifax bas become so plentiful by the use of sugar in a rival in the bolder butterfly, Thecla different localities, that they are a drug in quercus. In July you may see the females the hands of collectors and dealers. The walking about on the leaves of the oak trees, mixture is taken to the woods, and put upon sunning themselves, while the males are flutthe trunks of the trees, in patches or stripes, tering in attendance, or are pertinaciously just at dusk. Before it is dark, some moths holding a tournament in honor of their higharrive, and a succession of comers continues born dames. In these pugnacious encounters all night through, until the first dawn of day they maul each other severely, and you can warns the revellers to depart. The collector hardly capture a male whose wings are free goes soon after dark, with a bull's-eye lan- from scratches and tears. It is a pity that tern, a ring-net, and a lot of large pill-boxes. some sort of entomological police cannot He turns his light full on the wetted place, compel such quarrelsome butterflies to keep at the same time placing his net underneath the peace. The Tineinæ, not so named it, in order to catch any moth that may fall. because they are tiny, have also their characSome species are very fond of this trick; teristic peculiarities. When basking on palothers sit very unconcerned; and others, ings, Argyresthia sits with her head downfly off at the very first glance of the bull's-wards, as in a posture of reverence. Gracileye. Once in the net a moth is easily trans- aria and Ornix, on the contrary, hold up ferred to a pill-box, where it will remain their heads, bold and pert; Elachista looks quiet until the next morning. There are as if it tried to squeeze itself into the wood, some sorts, however, that will not put up and Nepticula hugs a corner or crevice, and with solitary confinement so easily, and fret then, as if not satisfied with its station, hurthemselves, that is, their plumage; so it is ries off to seek another, with a self important

wot not of. Mr. Douglas is persuaded that many things in the structure and physiology of man that are obscure may receive a light from the study of the anatomy and reproduction of insects.

swagger truly ridiculous in such a little not during its infancy that a science displays creature. Owing to the variety of economy its wealth and lavishes its benefits. amongst the larvae of these tiny moths, there mology may have results in store that we can be no general rules laid down for finding them; some are on the leaves, some roll up the leaves, others mine in their substance; some are in the flowers, others in the seeds; some are in the stems, others in the roots; some wander about naked as when they were But how are you to fathom the mysteries born, others make garments neat and tidy, or of insec economy, if you do not pursue and rough and grotesque. There is only one rule familiarize yourself with insects? Notwithto be observed - Search a plant all over, and standing which, it is quite true, as our secreat different times of the year. You may not tary says, that society throws a wet blanket find the species of which you were in quest; over entomology in all its branches. Take but, then, you may discover another whose your water-net and go to a pond or stream economy is unknown; or, as already more in quest of water-beetles, and the passers-by, than once has happened, one not hitherto if they notice you at all, will invariably even seen in the perfect state. Thus, if you think you are fishing; or, if they see what collect the dry flower-heads of wild marjoram you are taking, will ask you if your captures in spring, and put them in a box in-doors, are for baits. If you say Yes, they will you will soon see what appear to be some of think yours a profitable employment; if you the dry calyces of the flowers, separated from say No, you may add as much more in exculthe mass and walking about. Each of pation as you like, you will only pass for a these contains a living larva of Gelechia sub- fool. So much for the popular appreciation ocellea, which has made itself in the previous of natural history-and for your encourageautumn a portable dwelling out of two or ment. Crabbe's allusion to insects as 66 three of the flowers, in which it will remain tax'd and undisputed game," is no longer until the following July, when the perfect correot as regards its second epithet; you moth will emerge. In their habitat among the dry florets these cases can scarcely be distinguished from them.

cannot enter a wood anywhere without fear of being as unceremoniously dealt with as a felon. For example, Coombe Wood, formerly one of the great localities for insects of all kinds, and the grand resort of the London collectors, is now sacred to game alone, under the protection of a royal duke. collector dare no more set foot within its hallowed precincts than a poacher; it is possible even that, on what was a public road quite through the wood, a sly poacher might be more leniently dealt with than an indiscreet entomologist. A keeper cannot believe that any man would go about in search of insects only; he thinks that an insect net is only a blind for attacks upon the nests of pheasants, and has a strong suspicion that beneath the pill-boxes in your coat pocket you have a gin for a hare.

In addition to the obvious and unavoidable difficulties which entomologists have to encounter, they have to bear up against the martyrdom of contempt which the vulgarminded public inflicts upon them. They are ignominiously nicknamed bug-hunters, and are regarded as a species of lunatic at large. But astronomers and chemists have been equally despised. Galileo, Tycho Brahe, Priestly, and even Davy, have been pitied in their time, especially in the early part of their career, as foolish enthusiasts, whose proper place would be the madhouse, if they were not harmless. To this day, Newton, though looked up to as a philosopher by all, is looked down upon as a madman by many. What was the good, the crowd inquired, of Mr. Douglas gives various British localities star-gazing and pulling the elements to that are rich in curious and rare insects. If pieces? But great good, and profit, and the student is inclined to peep at a few easily safety, and lofty wisdom have been derived reached and well-stocked insect preserves on from studying the structure of the heavens the other side of the Channel, where he will - that is, of the universe- and from inves- not be exposed to the insolence of Coombe tigating the essential nature of the crude Wood guardian angels, let him try the tops materials which compose our globe. It is of the cliffs at Etretât, near Havre, taking

good care not to break his neck the sandy to beg for dinner there; but on being shown warren which lies between the camps of into the dining-room objected to the landlord Wimereux and Ambleteuse, near Boulogne- that I did not like eating in a room hung sur-Mer - the forest of Guînes and Licques, with black. Tablecloth, curtains, and everyon calcareous hills - the forest south of Haze- thing else that should have been white, was brouck, on an alluvial, loamy, clayey plain; black. His answer was a flourish with his the oaks alone are worth going to see. the napkin, when the dark coating arose in buzforest of Watteu, I think, on gravel—and the zing swarms, and filled the air with a living track of marsh, pasture, ponds, ditches, culti- cloud, whose density almost impeded vision vated land, and silted-up estuary, which lies across the room. This pleasing travelling within the irregular triangle whose three souvenir reminds me that a popular account corners are Calais, St. Omer, and Dunkerque. of the early life of house-flies (not blue-bottle In three weeks or a month, he will capture blow-flies) is a desideratum. Many people as many novelties as will take him a twelve- believe that little flies grow into big ones, month to examine and investigate, unless he just as lambs become sheep in the course of be a very learned and practised hand. time. If you want extra-sized flies, go the German forests; they will, astonish you, especially if you do not wear gloves. The only insects to which they can be likened are Hood's famous pair of moths- -Mam-moth

For house flies in abundance, the reader is recommended to go to Brixen, in the Tyrol. “Never saw so many flies in my life! was the most striking entry in the travellers' book at the Grand Hotel of something or and Behe-moth. other. One fine September's afternoon I had

The

easily slipped on, and requiring no fastening either at the neck or wrist. But perhaps the greatest of his triumphs is the gaiter. With the assistance of his model, you may place a bit of cloth of any kind flat upon a table, and with a few movements of your scissors you will have at once a beautifully fitting gaiter, wanting only the strap and buttons to be ready for wearing. The address of the inventor, whose name is Stewart, is 72 Northumberland Street, Edinburgh, and 85 Regent Street, London.

SCIENCE APPLIED TO GENTLEMEN'S DRESS. |coat and trousers, with equal success. That there is something wanting in the ordinary strange sack, for instance, we are accustomed to rules of measuring is practically admitted by wear for a shirt, is with him an artistic garment, the tailors themselves, who are under the neces-fitting as closely as necessary to the body, yet sity of trying upon their customers the skeleton of the coat when it is advanced so far as the skeleton- before venturing to complete it. The desideratum, however, seems to be now supplied by an ingenious gentleman, who has invented a system of measuring which relieves the tailor from all anxiety, by furnishing him with a pattern which, in order to insure a perfect fit, requires nothing more than to be accurately copied in cloth. This he does by strapping and lacing to the body of the patient a universal skeleton of leather, the different pieces of which are not joined; while he places on a table before him a full-sized diagram of the same drawn upon pa- THE FAITHLESS PERSIAN. We brought with per. The discrepancies between the living body us to Constantinople, all the way from Teheran, and the skeleton are of course seen at a glance, two Persian men-servants and a Persian nurse. and they are easily noted upon the diagram by One of the former was engaged to be married to means of supplementary lines: the diagram thus the nurse, who was a widow, on their return to becoming an unfailing pattern of the coat. Teheran. Next door to the hotel where we reThe trade, we hear, are unfavorable to this in-sided lived a family of Perotes, among whom vention; but if so, their hostility must proceed were several young ladies remarkably wellfrom mistake. It does not abrogate the office of foreman, or cutter, but merely enables that artist to supply himself, by the aid of a quick and accurate eye, with a true pattern instead of a mere attempt at one. It is true, this method requires a few minutes more than the usual plan; but, independently of the accuracy of detail it obtains, it effects a saving of time as well as of trouble in the end to both parties, by doing away with the necessity for a second interview. The inventor has turned his attention to all the other parts of the dress as well as the

looking. They spent several hours daily in walking up and down before their door, without bonnets or shawls, gaily attired in nicely-fitting dresses. They completely absorbed and bewildered our two Persians, who devoted the day to gazing on these houris, and in lamenting they could not take wives like these back to Persia. The nurse was forgotten; and she became excessively angry, abused her betrothed, and said she could never bestow another thought on such a fool as he proved himself to be.-Lady Sheil's Life and Manners in Persia.

From The Spectator, 7 June. THE DEMISE OF POLAND. AN Emperor of Russia has spoken the true word respecting Poland. Addressing a Polish deputation at Warsaw, he is reported to have said that he came among them oblivious of the past, and animated with the best intentions for the future: the happiness of Poland depends on her union with Russia: he would do his part; it was for the Poles to do theirs : but I repeat to you, gentlemen, no reveries, no reveries! " Good advice for Europe as well as for Poland: henceforth let us grapple with the hard facts, let us no longer indulge in delusive reveries. Poland gone; Poland is already half-Russian; in a few years she will be entirely Russian Europe has weakly surrendered one of her bulwarks of defence; she must take the con

is

sequences.

not only do the behests of his gaoler but do them in irons. The policy of absorption was carried out in violation of the treaty of Vienna; and all we could oppose to that violation was public speaking, and the Terpsichorean mysteries of the Guildhall. There is not a more humiliating page in the history of modern Europe than that which contains the record of the dastardly submission of Germany and the West to the fall of Poland and the violation of the treaty of Vienna.

broken down by the consequences of former errors and crimes; Russia has pursued one policy unscrupulously ever since the arms of Munich placed Augustus of Saxony on the throne; England has perorated and danced; France has made revolutions. No wonder that Russia triumphs, and that Poland dies.

In acquiring this barrier state from and against Europe; in rigorously carrying out the policy of absorption, Russia may plead in mitigation of her offence, that the treaty of Vienna has been violated in so many ways that one violation more or less can be of little consequence. If the Emperor were reminded that absorption is as contrary to It is never too late to get a firm grasp of the spirit as the absence of representative inthe facts. Poland was seized, in an hour of stitutions is to the letter of the treaty, might weakness, by Russia, Austria, and Prussia, he not appropriately reply by pointing to and cut into three pieces, Russia getting the that notable article which provides that no biggest and most important section. Austria member of the Bonaparte family shall sit on and Prussia bought their share at a very the throne of France? How could we meet dear rate; the partition of Poland was a bad that? The European barrier state has been bargain for them: but that partition is a fact, one of the hardest facts in modern European history. Europe was greatly interested about Poland; hogsheads of ink, mountains of paper, have been spoiled in treating of the topic. Napoleon le Grand had an opportunity of making a kingdom of Poland, as he made kingdoms of Wurtemberg Two direct consequences follow from this. and Saxony; he let that opportunity slip by, It will be a mockery and a snare to encourand paid the penalty in the retreat from age the unfortunate refugees in the belief Moscow. Lord Castlereagh negotiated on that anybody will do anything for them: it the matter; and at Vienna they stipulated is henceforth impossible to wrest Poland from that Poland should have representative in- Russia unless at the expense of a bloody war stitutions, a separate army, and what not. for that avowed purpose. Is such a war In England we danced over the wrongs of likely to take place? Certainly not. Poland, in France they spouted over them. many, whose frontiers, nay, whose capitals But as neither dancing nor eloquence can are, so to speak, under the guns of Poland, resist bayonets or silence cannon, so it was although the most interested is the most that Poland remained as she was, the treaty powerless. Diplomatic Europe is precluded of Vienna notwithstanding. In 1830 the from intervention on behalf of the treaty of Poles made a last effort for themselves Vienna, because, among other things, one neither dancing nor speechifying, but fight- of the parties is of the family of Bonaparte! ing like men of sense. Alas! it availed War, at present, to drive out the Russian them nothing. They were beaten by over- and form a barrier state, is a perfectly prewhelming odds. From that day to this the posterous idea: yet we might as well manhold of Russia on Poland has been growing fully recognize the fact, that only by a defirmer and stronger; the policy of absorption termined and energetic war could we drive has been carried out; and as that policy out the Muscovite and set up a solid barrier made its way bit by bit, the Russian Govern- in Northern Europe. The Polish question is ment made it secure. The natural strength now, in the main, a German question: but of Poland as a military position was tripled Poland is absorbed; Germany is impotent; by the erection of a chain of fortresses from and Europe looks upon its great treaties as Galicia to West Prussia. The position of waste paper. Well might the Czar exclaim, Poland was like that of a prisoner who must" No reveries, gentlemen, no reveries! "

Ger