458 Miscellaneous. 



daylight before their plunge, the animals would remain motionless 

 on the ceiling until the succeeding night. 



One fact, it is said, proves nothing ; but I found on inquiry that 

 the fall of bugs from ceilings was a phtenomenon in their natural hi- 

 story generally believed in'^. And a friend of mine one night placed 

 his bed on a table with each leg in a vessel of water in the middle of 

 a room : he also observed bugs crawl along the ceiling before sunrise 

 and drop upon his couch. 



The only effectual way to avoid the attacks of bugs is to keep the 

 creatures out of rooms as well as out of bedsteads. Unfortunately 

 our mistaken, not to say absurd English custom of loading our bed- 

 steads with hangings is a great encouragement to bug-propagation. 

 Besides, bedsteads are so seldom cleaned, whereby not only bugs 

 but spiders have ample opportunity to establish colonies. If the 

 cumbersome garniture of hangings were dispensed with, none but 

 French bedsteads used, with a framed lath-bottom, so as to be easily 

 removable — and the whole, as well as the mattresses, &c., well 

 brushed once a week — if bedroom walls were covered with paint in- 

 stead of paper — if bedroom floors were occasionally scrubbed with 

 soap and lime, there would be but few bugs, even in London. 



Light, and free circulation of air will do much towards checking 

 the increase of these nocturnal pests. The Americans are wiser than 

 we in matters of bedroom drapery ; they avoid it altogether, or have 

 so little as to afford no shelter to vermin. 



THE GREAT SEA-SERPENT. 



To the Editor of the Times. 



Sir, — Subjoined is the answer to a question relative to the animal 

 seen from the Deedalus, addressed to me by a nobleman distinguished 

 in literature, and taking much interest in science. 



As it contains the substance of the explanation I have endeavoured 

 to give to numerous inquirers, in the Hunterian Museum and else- 

 where, and as I continue to receive many applications for my opinion 

 of the " Great Sea-Serpent," I am desirous to give it once for all 

 through the medium of your columns, if space of such value may be 

 allotted to it. 



I am. Sir, your very obedient servant, 



Richard Owen. 



Lincoln's Inn Fields, Nov. 9. 



The sketchf will suggest the reply to your query, " whether the 

 monster seen from the Daedalus be anything but a Saurian ? " If it 

 be the true answer, it destroys the romance of the incident, and will 

 be anything but acceptable to those who prefer the excitement of 



* We are able to confirm die statement of our correspondent from simi- 

 lar instances. — Ed. 



•j* This was a reduced copy of the drawing of the head of the animal seen 

 by Captain M'Quhae, attached to the submerged body of a large seal, 

 showing the long eddy produced by the action of the terminal flippers. 



