224 THE REV. J. G. WOOD. 



reality a long-necked cetacean of great rarity, nearly 

 akin to the whales, and probably perfectly harmless. 

 Then he . thought of delivering a lecture upon the 

 same subject, and gave a short outline of his views 

 to some leading members of the Thursday Club, 

 Boston, in a kind of quasi-lecture. The result was a 

 numerously-signed address, asking him to deliver the 

 fall text of the lecture at an early date, in some build- 

 ing to which the public as well as themselves might 

 have access ; and the lecture was accordingly delivered 

 as the last of the series at the Chickering Hall, on 

 March 13th. 



After the second of these lectures, on January 31st r 

 came a most amusing experience, in the shape of that 

 curious American festivity known as a " Leap Year 

 Ball." I quote the description in the " log " : 



Last night I went to a " Leap Year Ball " at Salem. It was 

 held in the " Hamilton House," just like a provincial assembly 

 room. There were about 150 guests. It was great fun, the 

 privileges and duties of the sexes being reversed. The gentlemen 

 carried bouquets and smelling-bottles, and kept dropping bouquets, 

 handkerchiefs, and fans, so as to make the ladies pick them up. 

 Gentlemen could not cross the room unless accompanied by ladies, 

 while the latter roamed about at ease, and selected their partners. 

 There was a venerable judge, with the biggest bouquet of pink 

 rosebuds that the mind of man can conceive. A lively young lady 

 asked him for the next polka. The judge drew himself up, con- 

 templated the audacious individual with an air of impertinent 

 wonder, and replied that his mamma never allowed him to dance 

 with persons who had not been regularly introduced. After each 

 dance the lady led her partner to a chair, bowed, and went off. 



Every now and then a gentleman would feel faint, and then hi& 

 partner had to put him into a chair, fetch iced water for him, and 



