‘Subterranean Hot-bed.—Tame Seals.—Carnivorous Horse. 307 
up like flax, and in fibres which measure from 12 to 15 inches in 
length, as soft and flexible as fine human hairs and may be 
spun and wove without the aid of moisture. —Silliman’s Journal, 
No. I. 
SUBTERRANEAN GARDEN AND NATURAL HOT-BED. 
A curious, account of a subterranean garden formed at the 
bottom of the Percy Main Pit, Newcastle, by the Furnace 
Keeper, was communicated to the last General Quarterly Meeting 
of the Caledonian Horticultural Society, in a letter from Mr. 
Bald, Coal Engineer of Alloa. The plants are formed in the 
bottom of the mine by the light and radiant heat of an open fire 
constantly maintained for the sake of ventilation.—The same 
letter contained an account of an extensive natural hot-bed near 
Dudley in Staffordshire, which is heated by means of the slow 
combustion of the coal at some depth below the surface. From 
this natural hot-bed a gardener raises annually crops of different 
kinds of culinary vegetables, which are earlier by some weeks 
than those in the surrounding gardens where the subterranean 
heat does not operate. —— 
TAME SEALS.—CARNIVOROUS HORSE. 
A gentleman in the neighbourhood of Burntisland has com- 
pletely succeeded in taming a seal: its singularities daily continue 
to attract the curiosity of strangers. It appears to possess all the 
sagacity of the dog, lives in its master’s house, and eats from 
his hand : he usually takes it with him in his fishing .excure 
sions, upon which occasion it affords no small entertainment. 
When thrown into the water, it will follow for miles the track of 
the boat ; and, although thrust back by the oars, it never relin+ 
quishes its purpose. Indeed it struggles so hard to regain its 
seat, that one would imagine its fondness for its master had en- 
tirely overcome the natural predilection for its native element.— 
Edinlurgh Weekly Journal. 
The above paragraph corroborates the account of a Newfound- 
land dog having suckled two young seals, which fact (from a gen- 
tleman of the strictest veracity, the owner of the dog,) was sent 
to the Editor of the Month!y Magazine by the writer. When 
mentioned to some persons, who seem to consider animals as 
mere machines incapable of imbibing new habits, an incredulous 
expression of countenance has mortified the relater ; and another 
instance was so questioned, that it was quite suppressed, till cor- 
roborated by a similar case so notorious as to enforce br lief, 
Five and-thirty vears ago the writer frequently saw a young 
horse which preferred roasted or boiled meat to grass and corn. 
His dam was killed by an unfortunate accident, when the foal was 
five weeks old: he was fed by the dairy maid with cow’s milk, 
and soon familiarly followed her to the kitchen. He began to 
U2 guaw 
