152 



CHAPTER OF MISCELLANIES. 



ZOOLOGY. 



Prolificacy of the Blackbird. — A pair of these birds built four successive 

 nests last season upon the island in St. James's Park, and succeeded in rearing 

 seventeen young ones ; the three first broods consisting of five each, and the last 

 of two only. There cannot be the least doubt as to the identity of the female, 

 as she is well known to the person who attends them, and so tame as to take 

 food from his hand while sitting on the eggs. There were, moreover, no other 

 individuals of the same species near the place. — Another isolated pair which I 

 knew of raised, unmolested, three broods in a garden near my residence, so that 

 the Blackbird would appear to raise as many young as the Partridge, which 

 produces only one brood in a season. — Edward Blyth, North Brixton, Surrey, 

 Jan. 21, 1838. 



Mode of taking Gbease out of Insects. — Those readers of The Naturalist 

 who are commencing the study of Entomology have reason to be grateful to Mr. 

 Dale for his instructive "Hints" in the Feb. No. (p. 81). To these I wish to add 

 another, which is not generally known, and which I think will be found useful. 

 Specimens in cabinets are often ruined by the transudation of the oily matter 

 with which their bodies are charged. This at first appears in spots on the 

 thorax and abdomen, and afterwards gradually pervades every part of the insect. 

 Mr. Samouelle recommends his readers to " powder some fine dry chalk on a 

 heated iron, cover the chalk with a very fine piece of linen cloth, and thereto 

 apply the under part of the body of the insect : the heat dissolves the grease, 

 while the chalk absorbs it, and the cloth prevents the chalk from clotting the 

 insect." — Ent. Useful Comp., p. 320. This is a very troublesome method, to 

 say the least of it. I should recommend in its stead the following, as far prefer- 

 able. Dip the greasy specimen into spirits of wine, or turpentine, until it is 

 well soaked. Then place it in a situation exposed to a current of air — near a 

 window, slightly opened, will answer the purpose well. The spirit in a short 

 time evaporates, takes off the oily matter, and the insect is cleansed. — Peter 

 Rylands, Bewsey House, Warrington, Feb. 3, 1838. 



A Child carried away by a Baboon. — Flocks of Baboons are known to infest 

 the gardens in the suburbs of Calcutta. A native woman of Soorah left a child 

 about two months old on a little bed in her compound, besmeared with oil (a 

 native practice), and went away for a minute or two. No sooner had she left 

 the place, than a large Baboon jumped from a tree close by, and taking the 

 infant in his embrace, ran up the tree again. The cries of the child immediately 



