194 TRANSACTIONS OF THE 



a little separate stable by itself on abundance of well kept litter. 

 Their fleeces are usually neat — but in their rambles they encoun- 

 ter hooks from some leguminous plants, such as luzernes — cater- 

 pillars, which get wound up so that portions of fleece are torn off 

 in geitting them out. These are injurious to the fleece. These 

 Angora goats are certainly very rustic. They are less delicate 

 and less susceptible in regard to their nourishment than goats of 

 any sort, generally. They crop grass and browse on brushes of 

 all sorts, eat leaves of the mastic, of climbing plants, filarias, ol- 

 ives, &c. 



The reproduction of this little flock is not less satisfactory. The 

 greater number of the goats are pregnant, many of them far advanc- 

 ed. Desiring to know the result of mixing breeds,! had two very fine 

 Maltese goats led to the Angora buck. I think the favorable sea- 

 son for shearing is towards the end of April as with our sheep, 

 pretty nearly. The fleeces ought to be kept distinct and baled 

 up for trial. 



HONEY BEES. 



At the Crystal Palace we had a specimen of virgin wax, from 

 Jamaica, with this note attached : " Bloached bees exhibited by 

 Mr. Edward Chitty." We wish we knew more about it and the 

 bees which made it. 



EDUCATION OF PARTRIDGES. 



Our Perdrix rouge Bartavelle, (Guernsey Partridge,) or Per- 

 drix Saxatiles, appear to be the easiest to tame. We are busy 

 with it. Naturalists have noted it — Gesner, Buffon, Tournefort. 

 The latter, says he saw, in Greece, a man leading his flock of red 

 partridges to the field — taking them up, caressing them, &c., and 

 he saw it also done in Provence. Fifteen to twenty years ago Dr. 

 Stevon saw in a wood opening, in the Flassans woods, an old wo- 

 mau who raised and took care of red Bartavelle partridges, who 

 were at fall liberty. They came around her as she called them, 

 eat out of her apron and her hands. She passed somewhat for a 

 witch in that quarter. 



Mon. Ramon de la Sagra, presented a catalogue of twenty-nine 

 vegetable substances, almost totally unknown in Europe, which 

 have b en sent by the government of Pai-aguay to the exhibition. 



Our confrere, M. Kenard, a delegate to China, on behalf of 

 Parisian industry, sends specimens of silk manufactured there from 

 the silk worm of oak trees. Also other yellow and wliite silks. 



From New Caledonia received seeds and tubers of some useful 

 and some agreable new plants. 



