72 Miscellaneous. 



then skimmed off and run into moulds, in which shape it is exported 

 to all parts of the empire. 



It woidd seem that the wax-growers find that it does not pay 

 them to reserve any of the insects for their reproductive state — and 

 hence the necessity of importing eggs from Yunnan. In the dis- 

 tricts of Ho-chin and Why-li-tzow, where the culture of the eggs is 

 alone attended to, hoth frost and snow are experienced ; so that it 

 would not be difficult to rear the insect in Europe ; and, considering 

 its prolific natiire, the production of white wax might repay the 

 trouble of acclimatizing this curious insect. — Cooper^ s ' Pioneer of 

 Commerce,^ pp. 323, 420. 



^ Chinese Freshwater Crabs and Hairy Tortoises. 



We brought up alongside a boat laden with immense quantities 

 of crabs for Chung Ching. The crabs, taken in the lakes in spring 

 and autumn, are sent to Sz-chuan, where they are considered a 

 great delicacy. The boats in which they are carried are fitted up 

 with tiers of basins, holding about a pint and a half of water each ; 

 and every crab has a separate basin, which is carefully refilled 

 every day with fresh water, and the crabs are fed on raw minced 

 meat. Cared for in this way, they make the voyage of forty or fifty 

 days to Sz-chuan, during which not more than one in a hundred 

 die. In the lake-country these crabs are bought for about three 

 chen each. 



Besides crabs, there were a number of a species of small water- 

 tortoises, which the Chinese call hairy tortoises. These curious 

 little animals were about two inches long, and covered on the back 

 with a long confervoid growth, resembling green hair. The tortoise 

 being a sacred emblem in China, the Chinese make pets of the hairy 

 tortoise, which they keep in basins of water during the summer 

 months, and bury in sand during winter. A small lake in the pro- 

 vince of Kiang-see is famous for these so-called hairy tortoises ; and 

 many persons earn a livelihood by the sale of these curious little pets. 



The day after leaving Sha-su, I was enabled to get up and take 

 the fresh air on the deck of our boat : we were already in the lakes, 

 which were unusually fuU of water ; and on every lake busy fleets of 

 small boats were at work, procuring loads of weeds which grow 

 during the summer. The crews employed long double rakes, work- 

 ing like a pair of tongs, for gathering the weeds, which are used in 

 the surrounding country for maniu'e. — Cooperh ' Pioneer of Com- 

 merce,' p. 424. 



E. Claparede. 



"We regret to have to announce the death of this celebrated natu- 

 ralist, which took place at Sienna, on the 31st ult. The cause of 

 his death was a disease of the heart, from which he had long suf- 

 fered acutely. His age was only 39. 



