652 Zoology, 



leech which was applied to the temple several times ; it was 

 kept in water, in a vial, and placed on the carpet near the 

 fireplace of the parlour ; the cold at that time was very 

 severe, and every night the leech was frozen, and thawed the 

 following day. Mr. Knight was there at the time, witnessed 

 the fact, and expressed, I am told, no small interest at this 

 curious incident. It was observed by Captain Franklin, during 

 the severe winter they experienced near the Coppermine 

 River, that the fish froze as they were taken out of the nets ; 

 in a short time they became a solid mass of ice, and by a 

 blow or two of the hatchet were easily split open ; if in the 

 completely frozen state they were thawed before the fire, they 

 recovered their animation. This is a very remarkable instance 

 how completely animation can be suspended in cold-blooded 

 animals. 



Silkworm. It has occurred to me, and I have not seen 

 it remarked elsewhere, as a striking and interesting peculiarity 

 of this insect, that it does not wander about as all other cater- 

 pillars do, but that it is nearly stationary in the open box or 

 tray where it is placed and fed : after consuming the imme- 

 diate supply of mulberry leaves, it waits patiently for more 

 being provided. I apprehend this cannot be said of any other 

 insect whatever. This docile quality of the worm harmonises 

 beautifully with its vast importance to mankind, in furnishing 

 a material which affords our most elegant and beautiful, if not 

 most useful, of garments. The same remark applies to the 

 insect in the fly or moth state, the female being quite incapable 

 of flight, and the male, although of a much lighter make, and 

 more active, can fly but very imperfectly ; the latter circum- 

 stance ensures to us the eggs for the following season, and 

 thus completes the adaptation of the insect, in its different 

 stages, to the useful purpose it is destined to fulfil for our 

 advantage. 



A curious Fact concerning Bees. As a small vessel was 

 proceeding up Channel from the coast of Cornwall, and 

 running near the land, some of the sailors observed a swarm 

 of bees on an island : they steered for it, landed, and took 

 the bees on board ; succeeded in hiving them immediately, antl 

 proceeded on their voyage : as they sailed along shore, the bees 

 constantly flew from the vessel to the land, to collect honey, 

 and returned again to their moving hive ; and this was con- 

 tinued all the way up the Channel. {Times, 1830.) 



Turtles. White mentions that it is reported of the land 

 tortoise, that it is occupied one month in completing one fete 

 d^ amour ; and this remark leads me to mention that I was 

 more than once informed, in Jamaica, that the male and female 



