The After waiting five or six minutes, I recommenced my operations; and he again laughed. But when he endeavored to draw up the quilt, I held it back, and he immediately stretched forth his hand to seize that of the person whom he supposed to be under the bed. Instead of letting him catch mine, I put the dead man's hand into his, taking care to keep a strong hold of the arm. Greek made a most violent effort to draw to wards him, by the hand which he had seized, the person to whom it belonged, when suddenly I let go my hold, and the Greek spoke not a word, nor uttered the least cry. Having played off my trick, I regained my room, and went to bed, thinking that I had given him a good fright, and nothing more. But the next morning, I was awakened by a confused noise of people running backwards and forwards through the house. I got up to learn the cause; and on meeting the lady of the house, she told me that I had carried things too far. "Why, what is the matter?" "Mr. Demetrius is dead." "Well, what have I to do with his death?" She quitted me without making any answer; and I, though not a little alarmed, went to the Greek's room fully determined to affect the most profound ignorance of this adventure. All the inmates of the house were assembled there; and I found, besides, the curé engaged in a violent altercation with the beadle, who positively refused to rebury the arm, which still lay in the room. Every one looked upon me with horror, and it was in vain that I protested I was a total stranger to the affair. From all sides they cried out, "It was you, for you alone are capable of doing such an act; it resembles you in every particular." The curé told me I had committed a very heinous crime, and that it was his duty to inform the proper authorities of it. I told him he might do as he pleased, for, as I had nothing to reproach myself with, I had no cause to be afraid. At dinner I learned that the Greek, having been blooded, had opened his eyes, but that he was unable to speak, and that all his limbs were paralysed. The next day he recovered his speech; when I left the house he was still paralytic, and his mind in a very enfeebled state, from which he never completely recovered during the rest of his life. The curé had caused the arm to be reburied, and communicated all the details of the affair to the episcopal chancelry of Tre visa. SELF-INTEREST. How difficult a thing it is to persuade a man to reason against his own interest; though he is convinced that equity is against him!-TRUSLER. PROPOSED NEW PARK, HAMPSTEAD HEATH. NOBODY CAN NOW TELL US where Lon don begins; neither can anybody tell us where it ends. It has already swallowed up nearly all the suburban villages; and it threatens to extend its encroachments far the "City" have long given up all hope of and wide into the country. The dwellers in ever seeing blue skies and green fields, except on holidays-which, in the City, beyond any other place in the world, are few and far between. Even those who are privileged to reside in the outskirts, which twenty years ago were pleasant meadows and green lanes, now find they can hardly reach a quiet spot in the compass of a summer's evening walk. By such persons as these, the value of our public parks and enclosures can alone be properly estimated; and by them they are felt to be essentials of existence. There is one lovely rural spot (almost the only one), that is, Hampstead Heath. Primrose Hill, yet left within easy walking distance; and it has been prophesied, will hereafter be the centre of London; but though that event is, to say the least, a distant one, it requires no prophet's eye to foresee that in two or three years it will become the centre of a new and populous town, if something be not done to arrest the building-enterprises which are going on around it. The beautiful spot we have mentioned will become almost valueless; and it will no longer afford to the pentup citizen the delightful walks he enjoys there at present. Impressed with these views, and animated by a philanthropic spirit, Professor Cockerell has come forward with a magnificent scheme for turning Hampstead Heath into a park, to be connected with Primrose Hill by a boulevard 300 feet in width, so as to form one continuous promenade with the Regent's Park. With reference to this grand scheme, our contemporary the Builder, says:— Taking our course from the Regent's Park, the road proposes to pass over the commanding height of Primrose Hill, and thence to ascend gracefully by a magnificent park-ride and avenue or boulevard-reminding us of the most enchanting continental arrangement-till it enters the Hampstead Road, by the existing beautiful ing building land by situations for the most deavenue of Belsize Park, improving the surroundsirable villas and gardened habitations. The course thence is by Hampstead Green, passing over another commanding eminence known as Traitor's Hill, from which an admirable view of London and surrounding scenery presents itself, through land now desired to be built over, and which, if so appropriated, would for ever deface the beautiful locality. From this ground the road mounts to the Royal Terrace across the Heath, appreciated alike by the monarch and the mechanic, and continues to the well-known Firs, from whence is enjoyed a lovely view of Harrow and the western country, unsurpassed by the imaginings of Claude and Turner. In the enjoyment of this beautiful scenery, we descend the Heath to a hamlet designated NorthEnd, and proceed around its western verge to a third commanding height, called Telegraph Hill, which, as its name implies, is a landmark through the country, and again displays to us a new and enchanting panorama. Here we arrive at a further portion of the ground desired to be appropriated for building, but which this project would secure as a necessary adjunct to the enjoyment of the Heath; passing through this land, the road would return to the upper terrace. The extent of open ground would in all be about 300 acres. We have taken it for granted that this remarkable suburb is known to our readers; if not, let them take the trouble to survey it from the heights we have cited, in this pleasant season, and we need add no further argument to convince every beholder and lover of this metropolis, of the vast importance of securing, once for all, this unrivalled pleasure-ground for our overgrowing Babylon. Parks we have, it is true; but none to compare with what this would be. Nature has formed it for the purpose, and art would seek in vain to improve it. Several It is in clapsed, the insult is not forgotten. years passed ere I could overcome her dislike to the color. After three years we moved our residence, and during the change I went on a visit to some friends, with whom I remained three months. I then returned, bringing the bird with me; it had been unaccountably dull during the whole time. It was night when I arrived; and as soon as my sister spoke, it became agitated and flew about to have its cage opened. It then immediately took wing to her, with every demonstration of affection; and from that time to this, its constancy has remained unshaken. Vainly have we tried to deceive it by night or day. Its hatred to me was as great, and it will fly after me, scold me, peck me, and annoy me in every way it can. On one occasion alone has it shown any kind feeling, and that was, during the absence of my sister for nine weeks, when she left it under my charge. But as soon as she returned, I was cast off. All attempts to divert its affection, by providing a suitable mate, have failed; but my sister can do anything with it,-pull its head, squeeze it, play any trick with it. Caresses, and the sweetest "coo," are the sole return. It follows her everywhere; takes the needle from her hand when she is at work; the pen when writing; and it will sit on her hand and kiss it, whilst she is engaged at the piano. It is remarkably fond of bread, biscuit, butter, and salt; and Then will it return to its place, by or on my sister. freely helps itself at breakfast to these articles. This bird is now in its thirteenth year. the full enjoyment of health, and boasts a very fine plumage. This latter, I think, is much aided by its enjoyment of a very large bath, in which it splashes, rolls, and sits for a quarter of an hour together. It is a hen bird, and once it deposited an egg at the bottom of the cage. It has taken flight from home at intervals; but its mistress fears for its safety, and now guards against its straying. The old spaniel is still alive, but he has lost all his vivacity and pleasure in accompanying his master and mistress in their equestrian trips. The original cat, too, has given The Turtle Dove.-As your paper is so warm place to a very fine specimen of the soft and longan advocate for the feathered race, and you evi-haired species, with a tail like a lady's boa, dently delight in recording the many little traits brought up by a relative's groom. It is a great by which they endear themselves to their owners, pet, and friendly with both dog and bird. I offer no apology for adding my testimony to usual resting-place at night used to be a silk that of others. I would speak to you about the apron, which Tom would search for all over my turtle-dove-the genuine turtle-dove, which comes room till found. Since I have been absent (now to our island in April and leaves in September. many months), Puss has sought and found During a four years' residence in Essex, a parish- another friend to inake his couch for him.— ioner of my brother's had reared one of these E. F. P., Kingston Lisle, Berks, July 16. birds, which in the course of many visits to his sick brother, I had often admired as it fearlessly sat with the shepherd's dog and cat. As winter advanced, the youth entreated me to accept his pet, which he feared would be killed by winter's cold, unless carefully nursed. I accepted the pretty gift, and carried it at once to my home, where it became speedily attached to me. It formed a great friendship, too, with a black cat and favorite spaniel, whose food it sought to share from the same platter. This bird never forgot an affront. A member of the family, whose patience was exhausted in seeking unsuccessfully her friendship, waved a red handkerchief at her. She was terrified, and though eight years have We cannot but regard the project as a noble one. It is perfectly evident that nothing else can save the most beautiful of our suburbs from positive destruction. It is therefore with the greatest pleasure, as well as from a deep conviction of duty, that we raise our voice, however feeble, along with that of other portions of the metropolitan press, in defence of a proposal so excellent, so deserving of universal support. ORIGINAL CORRESPONDENCE. Its [We always have very great pleasure in giving insertion to true anecdotes of animals. Their winning ways, affectionate endearments, and singular attachments, deserve more notice than is usually taken of them. The cat above alluded to is of the Angora breed. These are noted for their affection. We very much regret the many "fabricated" anecdotes which at this season find such ready entrance into our public journals. They are called "funny," and certainly they do elicit a laugh; but they do a vast injury to the study of natural history. There are plenty of pleasing "facts, "without having recourse to witty invention.] ་་ Sea-side "Plants" and Pleasantries. We all know, Mr. Editor, the various schemes which are at this season 'tried on" at our wateringplaces. The following "plant," which appears not to have "taken," will serve to raise a smile, if it does not put any intended victim upon his guard. The child seems to have learnt mamma's lesson perfectly; and her failure was "not for the want of any exertion on her part: "The Marquis is not to be won, Mamma; My advances he seems to shun, Mamma! I appeal to you— What am I to do? Justice and Mercy not inseparable. In the days of Nelson, my dear sir, justice on board a man-of-war was tempered with mercy. It is not so now. We hear of men being scourged with the lash, and we are told it is necessary by way of example! Now, Nelson had a heart, and yet he was a good commander! We are told he was always unwilling to inflict punishment, and when he was obliged, as he called it, "to endure the torture of seeing men flogged," he came out of his cabin with a hurried step, ran into the gangway, made his bow to the officers, and, reading the articles of war the culprit had infringed, said, "Boatswain, do your duty." The lash was instantly applied, and, consequently, the sufferer exclaimed, "Forgive me, Admiral, forgive me." On such an occasion Nelson would look round with wild anxiety, and as all his officers kept silence, he would say, "What! none of you speak for me? Avast, cast him off!" And then added to the culprit, "Jack, in the day of battle, remember me.' He became a good fellow in future. A poor man was about to be floggeda landsman-and few pitied him. His offence was drunkenness. As he was being tied up, a lovely girl, contrary to all rules, rushed through the officers, and, falling on her knees, clasped Nelson's hand, in which were the articles of war, exclaiming, "Pray, forgive him, your Honour; he shall never offend again." "YOUR FACE," said Nelis a security for his good behavior. Let son, him go; the fellow cannot be bad who has such a lovely creature in his care. This man rose to A be lieutenant; his name was William Pye. record of the above in OUR JOURNAL, Mr. Editor, cannot be out of place at this particular time. 66 Discipline" is about to be " rigorously enforced," it is said. May mercy guide the hand that inflicts the torture!-VIOLET, Wor cester. Green Parrots.-The family in which I reside, have long had a favorite parrot; and have always been in the habit of feeding it with bread, butter, indeed anything of which they have themselves been partaking. A few evenings since, they gave "Poor Polly" its tea as usual. It appeared quite well and happy. However, in less than two hours afterwards it dropped from its perch and died suddenly. We found on examination, that its mouth was full of bread. Can you tell me the cause of its death? I need not tell you how truly grieved we are at its loss.-F. S. B., Jermyn Street. [The bird was no doubt choked. Not being able to swallow its food, it had a fit. This terminated in death. We have known several occurrences of this kind. Great care should be taken to prepare the food properly.] Canaries, and Goldfinch-Mules.-I consulted you last year about my birds. Your answer was, Keep your goldfinch until next year. Your old canaries are useless to breed from." I did not see this advice printed in the JOURNAL till a very long time after it appeared, as the booksellers persisted in saying the "work was discontinued." Indeed, to this day, I am deficient of a great many back numbers. Under these cir cumstances, I placed my goldfinch in a breedingcage, with a canary one year old. In two days a nest was formed, and shortly afterwards I found in it six eggs. These, however, were quickly broken by the goldfinch. Another nest was built, and four eggs this time were laid. The hen sat twenty-one days; but the eggs were all unproductive. A third nest was formed, and four eggs laid. The hen sat twenty days, but the result was as before." The old birds made no nest. So much for last year. This year, I tried the old Apply for your deficient Numbers and Parts at 12, Great Castle Street, Regent Street. You will there be able to obtain what you require.— ED. K. J. land Place. hen with the goldfinch. They have built twice, analogy, it is evident there are at least two-the had eggs twice, and sat twice. But all in vegetable and the animal. Some extend sensation vain, no young were hatched! I have tried a even to minerals; and, according to them, earths young cock goldfinch, and a young hen canary. have a less perfect sensation than bitumen and They have built, laid, sat, twice. Still, all the sulphur. These yield to metals--metals to vitriols eggs bad. How is this? A. L. FUTMAN, Port-vitriols to lower salts. These to lower species of crystallisation—and those to what are called [You should never attempt to breed from old stones. The mineral is connected to the vegetabie birds. It is useless-time thrown away. Gold-world by the amianthes and lytophites. Here a finches often break the eggs. They are very mis- new species of sensation begins-a sensation parchievous birds. All your hen birds are evidently taking of the united qualities of mineral and vegeunfruitful. You did wrong to let them sit beyond table, having the former in a much greater degree a fortnight. It weakens them. Get rid of all than the latter. Vegetable is more acute than your stud, and try again next season. Apply to mineral sensation; therefore more delicate. Its CLIFFORD, 24, Great St. Andrew Street, Holborn. degrees and qualities aspire in regular order, from He will supply you at an easy rate, and not let the root to the moving plant. The polypus unites you have any birds but those which can be de- plants to insects. The tube-worm seems to conpended on. Consult him, too, about your cages, nect insects with shells and reptiles. The seaand the proper place to fix and suspend them in. eel and the water-serpent connect reptiles with All these things are important. We are really fishes. sorry The flying-fish forms the link between to hear of your disappointments, after taking so fishes and birds-bats associate quadrupeds with much trouble. By the way, it would be a pity birds-and the various gradations of monkeys and to part with the two tame birds you speak of apes fill up the space between quadrupeds and at the end of your note. Though not adapted for men. LECTOR. the breeding-cage, they will be nice companions.] Ask-colored Parrot, with Bad Habits.-About two months since, I purchased an ash-colored parrot, it being at the time I purchased it nearly denuded of its feathers. I learnt, on inquiry, that for the last three years it had been fed on hemp-seed, milk, and bread. This diet I have now entirely altered; substituting, in its stead, bread soaked in boiled milk, and a little ripe fruit. Still it continues to pluck out its feathers; and within the last few days, it has bitten all the red feathers in the tail close off at the stump. It has also taken to a very bad habit of re-producing in its mouth the food previously swallowed. This it does whenever I speak to it; and I apprehend it is a token (though a most disagreeable one), of pleasure at being noticed. Can you tell me how I shall cure either or both of these bad habits?-W. S. F., Devon. [Will you please to turn to the article on Parrots," at page 64, Vol. III. of our Journal. We quite lean towards the argument of Dr. MORRIS, therein introduced, as to the cause of this irritability. It is all but incurable, as the bird is never free from suffering. Never give it any meat, or feed it "high," and keep it in a very cheerful situation. On an elevated stand in the garden, would be a nice spot. Constant change of scene might distract the bird's attention, and so cure him of his fidgetty habits; but if the cause still continues, there will be a recurrence of the evil. We fear the other bad habit is equally difficult of cure. There is no way of convincing these animals they are doing wrong. Unlike the dog in every respect, they mechanically obey the impuise of the moment; and if they drop one bad habit, it is too often to replace it by another. The tribe of parrots is completely sui generis. We have very many consultations about them, and most of the owners tell one and the same tale. We would most gladly help you if we could.] Animal and Vegetable Sensation.-How many species of sensation Nature has created, it is impossible to conjecture. But by all the rules of Gentle Words and Loving Hearts.-No apology Are better than the fairest flowers Or stars that ever shone. The sun may warm the grass to life, It is not much the world can give, And gold and gems are not the things But oh, if those who cluster round S. Experiments with the "Sensitive Plant."The Journal de Loiret states, that Dr. Bretonneau, of Tours, has subjected the sensitive plant to the influence of chloroform. and that whilst under its influence, the leaves were perfectly insensible to any touch. The Journal adds, that the same experiment was lately tried at Orleans on a sensitive plant. One flower having been subjected to the action of chloroform, never moved when being cut to pieces, whilst another flower on the same stem closed up the moment the hand came near it.-ELIZA D. Ranunculuses in Winter.-To have Ranun. culuses in bloom in winter, the bulbs are planted, in Holland, in the month of August, or later up to November, in frames or cool dung beds. If the weather prove bad in the autumn, lights are put on the frames; and again, when the temperature of the external air will allow, are removed. I saw at a nursery in Haarlem, Ranunculuses grown on this plan blooming in middle of December.-W. TATTER, in the Algemeine Gartenzeitung. Oil from Tobacco Seed.-Having been fortunate enough to discover that one seed of tobacco contains above 15 per cent. of its weight of drying oil, of superior quality and of easy extraction, I take the liberty of communicating this discovery to you, as one which, if published in England, may be of great advantage to those of the British colonies where that plant is cultivated. The process employed by me for the extraction of the oil is to reduce the seed to powder, and knead it into a stiff paste with quantum sufficit of hot water, and then submit it to the action of a strong press. I then expose the oil thus obtained to a moderate heat, which, by coagulating the vegetable albumen of the seed, causes all impurities contained in the oil to form a cake at the bottom of the vessel employed, leaving the oil perfectly limpid and clear. The oil from tobacco-seed, though extremely limpid, possesses the drying quality to a much higher degree than any other oil known to me-a circumstance which will render it of great value to painters and varnish makers. The only object I have in making this discovery known to you, is my desire to be of service to my country and fellow-subjects, and my not having the means of publishing it myself in England.-ALFRED HALL-FREDINNICK, Tchernoy Rinokie, near Kisliar. Florists' Flowers.-Let me tell those of your readers who are anxious to raise these interesting subjects with a view to getting new varieties, that they have no chance without saving the seed themselves. Let them buy four or six, or even a dozen, of the best and most distinct varieties in cultivation, and save seeds from them, and there will be hope of a few good things; but who that had saved seeds from the best would sell them to a seedsman? It is not likely that, when a good novelty will fetch pounds, the owners of seed calculated to produce good novelties would sell it. The seeds supplied to the shops are saved from those varieties which produce freely. Single and semi-double dahlias, pinks, carnations, piccotees, roses, &c., yield sced in abundance, and you might sow an acre without producing a good variety; whereas, if you get none but a few good ones, and get but a single pod of seed, you may have that which will pay for all the trouble, and be worthy of bearing your name. Neville, the secretary of the South London Floricultural Society, raised the dahlia called the Hope, or Metropolitan Rose, for which he was paid £100, and had very few seedlings; yet we were invited to see six thousand dahlias, and could not find one worth a shilling.-GEORGE GLENNY. Destructive Insects.-Now is the trying time for all who love their gardens. A single night, at this season, is oftentimes productive of irreparable mischief; for the enemy works in the dark, and hides himself in the day-time. There is nothing more annihilating to the hopes of the gardener than the latent workings of a destructive insect. Cold and heat, wind and rain, with all the atmospheric changes for which the seasons are now so remarkable, may, in some measure, be provided for; but there is no guarding against danger the existence of which is unknown. Many a fine plant, which has been cultivated with unusual care, has withered from this cause; and this, too, at the moment when the development of its blossoms, or the perfection of its fruition, has been expected with anxiety. In this way the carnation and piccotee have perished from the secret ravages of the wire-worm, the melon and cucumber from that of the red-spider, and the rose from the ". worm i' the bud." To destroy these insects, therefore, becomes the first consideration of the gardener; but nothing will answer this purpose short of wholesale extermination. Though most insects live but one season, yet their powers of reproduction almost exceed belief. It has been calculated that the common house-fly produces, in three months, no fewer than 700.000 of its species; whilst the aphis rosa (the roseplant louse), in the course of the season, creates at least ten generations, each generation averaging fifty individuals; so that by multiplying fifty-nine times by itself, one egg will give origin to the almost incredible number of 25,065,093,750,000,000,000! This, be it remembered, is but one species, out of twenty-seven, which infest the rose-tree alone. But in this respect, the oak is still more wonderful than the rose-naturalists having recorded some hundreds of different species as feeding upon a single leaf. The flowery leaf Within the winding citadel, the stove Wants not its soft inhabitant. Secure, Holds multitudes. But chief in forest boughs That dance unnumbered to the playful breeze, The downy orchard, and the melting pulp Of evanescent insects. Of mellow fruit, the nameless nations feed But if the number of insects are calculated to excite astonishment, what must we think of their minuteness? The red spider is amongst the smallest of the genus that infest the garden; it is not easily perceived without the aid of the microscope, and, on that account, is considered a phenomenon. But this will appear gigantic when compared with an insect we saw a few days ago, designated the "wheel animalcule." It was magnified 25,000 times its natural size, and yet in this state was no larger than a common-size grub. The most wonderful part of this insect is the construction of its mouth, which is formed of two revolving wheels, continually in motion, but moving in opposite direction to each other. With this machinery the insect is supposed to procure its food, consisting of animalculæ much smaller than itself; these animalculæ again prey upon others still more minute; and these last lead a similar existence-and so on, ad infinitum.—E. C. Lime Water for Hens.-During the last season, Mr. Joseph Wilcox, of Wayne, having occasion to administer lime water to a sick horse, inadvertently left a pail of the preparation in his barn, which remained there for some time, serving as |