214 SCIENTIFIC ILLUSTRATIONS [Mar 



his teeth show him to have been designed for ; his teeth give 

 no evidence regarding his real character. Of our racks and 

 thumbscrews, our inquisitions and oubliettes, our noyades at 

 Nantes and our mitraillades at Lyons and Toulons, there is no 

 prophetic intimation in our dentology. C. B. 



The Supersedure of Mankind. 



During the primitive epoch the mineral kingdom existed 

 alone. The rocks, silent and solitary, were all that was yet 

 formed of the burning earth. During the transition epoch, the 

 vegetable kindom, newly created, extended itself over the whole 

 globe, which it soon covered from one pole to the other with 

 an uninterrupted mass of verdure. During the secondary and 

 tertiary epochs, the vegetable and the animal kingdom divided 

 the earth between them. In the quaternary epoch the human 

 kingdom appeared. Is it in the future destinies of our planet 

 to receive yet another lord? And after the four kingdoms 

 which now occupy it, is there to be a new kingdom created, 

 the attributes of which will ever be a mystery to us, but which 

 will differ from man in as great a degree as man differs from 

 animals and plants from rocks? w. 



Plan for Punishing 1 a Marauder. 



The long-eared owl (Otus vulgaris) is strictly nocturnal and 

 at night is active in search of its prey, which amongst other 

 things consists of small birds. These it is said to capture by 

 snatching them from their roosting-places. However this may 

 be, the finches, warblers, and other small birds seem to regard the 

 owl in the light of an enemy, and show the greatest animosity 

 towards him whenever they have an opportunity for such a 

 display of their feelings. If he should by chance prolong his 

 predatory excursions so as to be surprised by the light of day 

 when still at a distance from his favourite haunts, and thus be 

 compelled to take refuge in some such imperfect shelter as a 

 hedge or bush affords, the discovery, almost certain to take 

 place, of the unfortunate sleeper in his temporary lodging, is 



