Domestic Notices : — England. 



491 



are the first things to be considered, arrangement the second : in short, that 

 a botanic garden should affect first the geographical distribution of species, 

 and, when that is settled, then their natural grouping. A lithographic 

 sketch of the beds (marked a, b, c,) with an alphabetical index of the 

 genera, would be sufficient to direct any one to the different parts of a gar- 

 den, in which the species of any genus were to be found. — J. S. H. Cam- 

 bridge, July 1. 1830. 



A picturesque Mass of Rock-ivorJc. — Mr. Brookes, being about to change 

 his residencej begs to acquaint Mr. Loudon, that he has for sale an exten- 

 sive and picturesque mass of rock-work, composed chiefly of considerable 

 pieces of the rock of Gibraltar, adapted to the purpose of a vivarium, at 

 present inhabited by an eagle, and several smaller rapacious birds. The 

 structure is excavated in different parts for the seclusion of its tenants. 

 The four principal entrances of the adyta are ample, and arched with rude 

 portions of rock : there are likewise numerous cryptae arranged irregularly, 

 for various animals, and subterranean passages intersecting each other for 

 their convenience and retirement. The whole covers an area of about 

 30 ft., and is upwards of 10 ft. in height, somewhat in the shape of a trun- 

 cated cOne, on the surface of which there is a spacious reservoir for fishes, 

 aquatic plants, and oceanic birds, with a jet d'eau in the centre, ascending 

 through an interesting specimen of rock much elevated above the level of 

 the water, which is prevented from overflowing by a siphon, that conveys it 

 through the mouth of an antique head of a gigantic reptile, nearly resem- 

 bling that of an Ichthyosaurus. The interstices of the rock are verdant 

 with alpine and appropriate indigenous plants ; these, descending over the 

 stones, embellish and augment the pleasing appearance of the fabric, which 

 would prove a beautiful object in an arboretum, or at the termination of a 

 vista. The largest caverns were for a long period the domiciles of an un- 

 commonly fine vulture, a white-headed eagle, an ossifrage, and a magnificent 

 auriculated owl, all natives of the most inhospitable regions ; but such, how- 

 ever, as may be readily obtained. Those that remain are domesticated, 

 and will be given to the purchaser : the two former birds were presented 

 to the Zoological Society, and are now living. Occupying an angle in the 

 garden there is a pilgrim's cell, constructed in a great measure of the jaws 

 of a whale, having furniture manufactured of the bones of the same animal, 

 and lighted by a circular stained glass window. Mr. Brookes hopes Mr. 

 Loudon will accept his apology for troubling him with this detail, but con- 

 ceives that gentlemen having occasion to consult him on horticultural sub- 

 jects might avail themselves of this, perhaps the only means of raising a 

 noble rural ornament with many tons of the rock of Gibraltar. — • Blenheim 

 Street, Great Marlborough Street, June 24. 1830. 



New-invented Trap for Earwigs. (Jig. 92.) — Nothing is more injurious 



to the finer sorts of 



wall-fruit than the ear- 

 wig; and nothing is 

 more disgusting than 

 to find that those hos- 

 tile-looking insects 

 have taken possession 

 of it when brought to 

 table. It being impos- 

 sible to defend the fruit 

 from their attack by 

 any means applied to 

 the trees, they can 

 only be assailed by 

 capture. This has 

 been the old, and is the only, expedient in practice to check the depre- 

 'dations of this annual plague on fruit walls. A bundle of hollow dry 



