204 Miscellaneous Intelligence, 



vernable, pursuing its guardians, and endeavouring to do 

 mischief. It returned towards Geneva again, and, by various 

 means, was got into a place of security ; and then its pro- 

 prietor, intimidated by a former accident, resolved to have it 

 put to death. The first intentions were to poison it, and, for 

 this purpose, three ounces of prussic acid were mixed with 

 ten ounces of spirits, and given to it. The animal took the 

 bottle, and drank the liquor; but, after the lapse of some 

 time, did not seem at all affected by it. Three balls were then 

 prepared, each containing one ounce of arsenic, mixed with 

 sugar and honey, and were eaten by the elephant. This 

 poisoning commenced at five o'clock in the morning, and, at 

 the end of an hour, not the slightest effect was produced on 

 the animal. Finding these means ineffectual, orders were 

 given, and the animal shot with a four-pound ball in the head. 



After a while, the animal was dissected for the museum, 

 but the muscular parts were given to the people, who took it 

 home as food. Between three and four hundred persons ate 

 of it without any fear from the poison, and without any ill 

 effects except from indigestion. 



This elephant was from Bengal, was about nine feet high, 

 and ten years of age. 



11. Ow the Columns of the Athenian Temples, by Thomas AllasoUy 



Esq. 

 To the Editor q/'<Ae Journal o/" Science and the Arts. 



The following passage is extracted from the Travels recently 

 published by the Rev. Thomas Hughes : " Amongst the many 

 observations made by Mr. Cockerell, upon the architecture of 

 the Parthenon / remember one, which seemed very delicate and 

 curious ; it related to the entasis, or swelling of its beautiful 

 and finely-proportioned columns. With a great deal of diffi- 

 culty he measured them, and found by a straight line stretched 

 from the capital to the base, that this swell, at about one-third 

 of the height, equalled one inch ; that in the Temple of Ju- 

 piter at JEgina, half an inch, which was in proportion to the 

 other ; so that he had no doubt but that there was a general rule 



