has a grey parrot which is remarkable for its vehement dislike to gentlemen; at the approach violently, and dashes against the bars of the cage of a man or boy the bird flaps its wings, shrieks as if to get at the object of its animosity. By way of experiment, I once put on a man's hat and great coat, to see whether the bird would be deceived, to scratch its head without the slightest symptom but it remained perfectly tranquil, and allowed me of anger. A young gentleman who was present, and quite a stranger to the bird, then at the request of its mistress allowed us to dress him in tration, but although he wore a dress, cloak, and female attire, in order to test the parrot's penebonnet, in which it had often seen its mistress, and was closely veiled, yet the moment he approached the cage the bird flew at him with the utmost singular antipathy, as I have never seen any other fury. Can any of your readers account for this parrot manifest such hostility ?-B.A.

Are Death Watches ever heard or seen in this country, and what sort of insects are they, as they are, I believe, regarded by some as forerunners of death. Where are they generally to be found?— STEPHANIE.

TO CONTRIBUTORS.

re you have well dried it. 7. You well know insects frequently grow stiff before you have are to set them. In this case you may relax m as follows: pin them on a piece of cork and t the cork in a basin of tepid water, taking to cover the basin with a damp cloth. In a hours (or more, as the case may be) they will e become as flexible as though just killed. When the colours of your insects fail, you restore them, by emptying their abdomens in 2) and filling the skins with a powdered t of the natural colour of the insects. By e, and such other means as experience or study suggest, you may keep your collection in the t admirable condition, as long as you add Iuity and patience to your work.-R. G.S. A. H.-"HOW TO GET THE WATER OF THE ARIUM CLEAR?" (p. 13).-The water in an rium is more easily kept clean than made . The green algae which you notice, form a rite food of the Molluscæ, therefore by all is you should have a few snails. Then again, he health of your aquarium it is necessary you have one or two plants, to furnish your als with oxygen. The most suitable plants this purpose are Myrisphyllum Spicatum, isneria Spiralis, the common Starwort, and ts that experience will tell you. But if neither lese expedients will free you from the pest, be al to exclude the light as much as possible. right light is a very common generator of If yet your tank remains unclean, there is ing for it but to take out your stock with a l-net, and clean the inside of the tank.-R.G.S. IR DEATH'S HEAD MOTH.-The caterpillar, ches long, when full fed, is most abundantly d in extensive fields of potato, generally after et; but it may be procured on the jasmine by ful examination, even in the glare of full day. Scotland it is scarce; but, in some parts of land as well as on the Continent it is plentiful, We regret that the excellent paper by R. G. S. on becomes rather a nuisance to the plodding Aquatic Beetles must again stand over for want of ant unvisited by those promptings for ento-butions have to remain in abeyance for the same space, and that several other interesting contrigical discoveries which are now beginning to e the minds of our youth.-J.R.

QUERIES.

tormy Petrels.-Why are these birds thought predict a storm, and why do the sailors call m"Mother Carey's Chickens?"-INQUIRER. uperstition relating to the Cricket.-An old nan in Sussex told a schoolboy of our acquainte that it was wrong to kill crickets, and she d to have them about her, because whoever rd them singing (chirping) while on his or her thbed, was sure to go to heaven. Query, is s superstition current elsewhere than in Sussex, 1 what is its origin ?-H. G. A.

The Grey Parrot.-A lady of my acquaintance

questions which may be answered out of any eleOur friends should avoid troubling us with mentary work on Natural History, as it is scarcely worth while to occupy our time and space with them; such a query, for instance, as that of Stephanie,-"What sort of insect is a Locust ?" We wish to arouse a spirit of inquiry and encourage a fondness for study, therefore we say-observe and read, and bring to us anything remarkable and difficult you may encounter. With the view of exciting them to exertion, we have hitherto left it chiefly to our correspondents to answer each other's queries, and this is the course we should like to continue in; but there is accumulating so large an amount of unanswered or imperfectly answered questions, that we must take them in hand ourselves. We receive every month a goodly batch of replies evincing some degree of thought, and observation, and research. We thank those who have furnished answers, in many cases unof mutual improvement society, to whose stock of exceptionable, and remind all that ours is a kind knowledge all will be expected to contribute.

reason.

Spawn of Whales.-A correspondent calls our attention to an error committed, as he supposes, by R. G. S. and allowed to pass uncorrected by us, in the account given of Edible Nests, at p. 350 of last volume. But we beg to assure J. G. that there was no oversight on our part, nor ignorance on that of our correspondent, evinced in the above phrase. R. G. S. was but quoting the fabulous account given by some old writer of the materials of which these nests were said to be composed. Everybody knows now the whale is a viviparous animal, and no fish at all, and we should as soon expect to see its spawn exhibited in a museum as we should the "gum collected from a tree called used by the bird for its esculent nest.-H. G. A. Calambone," stated on the same authority to be

A STEEL BEAD BRACELET. AT the present time, when steel ornaments are so fashionable and expensive, the making this bracelet will afford pleasant employment and much gratification, when finished; while the cost of its production will not be more than sixpence.

Materials.-1 reel Messrs. Walter Evans & Co.'s. Glacé Thread, No. 30. 1 bunch of Steel Beads, No. 6 or 9, or 10, or the largest that can be procured; a small-sized needle and a of a yard of black elastic, a of an inch in width.

either draw up or stretch, but as if it was ribbon.

Thread 9 beads, but, after tying on the 1st bead, leave an end of cotton on, and work in the same way as the diamonds, until, on each side, 12 edge beads lengthways, can be reckoned; place this between the diamonds to hide the elastic which shows; bring it round the elastic, so as to enclose it, and fasten the two narrow sides of the beads together, by slipping the needle through the opposite first projecting bead to that which holds the cotton; then again Thread a needle with cotton, and tie a through the bead in front; then again bead on at the end, so that it is perfectly se- through the bead at opposite side. Repeat cure; thread 20 more beads (21 in all); turn this through all the beads, till the joining back, miss 2 beads, slip the needle through is complete and invisible; tie the ends of the 3rd.; thread another, pass it through cotton together, and fasten off. Repeat 2nd bead; continue threading a bead and this again between next diamond.

}

A STEEL BEAD BRACELET.

passing the needle through every 2nd bead, till the end; this now forms 2 rows of beads. Turn on reverse side, thread a bead, pass the needle in this row through the 2nd bead; then continue to work as before, till 14 edge beads on each side can be counted. This forms 1 diamond. To fasten on the fresh end of cotton, tie the end in a weaver's knot to the short end, and draw the knot through a bead. Thread 21 more beads, and make another diamond. Thread 21 more beads, make a 3rd diamond. There are now 3 diamonds; join together. Now fasten off by slipping the needle backwards and forwards through the beads, till the cotton is found to be secure. Join the elastic at a sufficient size to fit tightly on the arm, a little above the wrist. Sew these 3 diamonds by two of their corners on to the elastic, but so that they lie flat, not for the elastic to

Now enclose the elastic which is not covered by the diamond-shaped pieces, thus Make as many of the long pieces as will be required to cover the elastic, say 5 or 6, and fasten each piece round the elastic, but without sewing either of them on to the latter (excepting at the two outside diamonds), so that the rings of beads will slip round the elastic as large beads or rings would do.

After wearing any ornament of steel, it should be rubbed with, and rolled in chamois leather, previous to putting away.

A FLY CATCH.

This catch has one advantage that it can be easily washed, and restored to its original state, with but little trouble. The scarlet cotton is dyed by Messrs. Walter Evans & Co., expressly for using in fancy work, and