74 



KIDD'S LONDON JOURNAL. 



struction in that most useful lesson, 'how to ob- 

 serve '-—the event of which leaves us still in the 

 dark respecting a more interesting animal — that 

 which was supposed to be a sea-serpent. With 

 respect to the eel, I believe the first person who 

 treated the subject scientifically, was Sir H. 

 Davy, who has, I believe, exhausted it, as far as 

 negative proof goes. Those who hold that eels 

 are ever bred in fresh water, ought to be able to 

 prove — 1st, that eels are ever found there in spawn 

 — 2nd, that such spaivn has ever been hatched there. 

 It is no proof to say that small eels have been 

 found in ponds having no communication with 

 rivers — the proof required is ab ovo. There is 

 also room for inquiry into a rather curious sub- 

 ject, and that is — do eels, after having gone to the 

 sea for spawning ever return to fresh water?" 

 We trust that this inquiry, now that it is set on 

 foot, will not be suffered to rest until the truth 

 shall have been arrived at 

 for nothing.] 



Mere assertions go 



Improvements in Bird Cages. — I was glad to see 

 byanote appended to one ofyour articles in arecent 

 number of the Gardeners' Chronicle, that you had 

 taken notice of the Bird Cages in the Zollverein 

 department in the Great Exhibition. Allow me 

 to suggest that, in your London Journal, you 

 call the attention of makers to the improvements 

 which I consider necessary in the present mode 

 of constructing cages in this country. And, firat, 

 let me point out that those above referred to were 

 admirably adapted, both for cleanliness as regards 

 the cages themselves as Avell as regards the parlor 

 carpet. You may remember, that the bottoms of 

 these cages were moveable (thus doing away with 

 a drawer or tray), being simply fastened to the 

 upper part by small catches; thus, when the 

 cages are to be cleaned, nothing is required but 

 to undo the catches, set the upper part, with the 

 bird in it, on the table, &c, and proceed to cleanse 

 the lower part, or bottom, if need be, with soap 

 and water. You would observe, also, that the 

 bottom part of these cages extended 2 or 3 inches 

 beyond the circumference of the upper part, 

 leaying a ledge of 2 to 4 inches round the out- 

 side, forming a tray wherein all the dirt, seed, 

 &c, thrown out by the bird, is caught; and thus 

 preventing it from falling on the carpet, which 

 is, in my opinion, a great drawback to having 

 birds in a sitting-room. The cages to which we 

 are accustomed are by far too low in the solid 

 part of the front; rarely being above 2 inches 

 high ; the consequence is, that the floor is kept in 

 a continual mess, by sand, dirt, &c, thrown over 

 this low edging. 



The cages in the Zollverein department were 

 made of japanned zinc, solid and perforated; and 

 wire — no wood being used at all; and many 

 were of very elegant designs. Being, moreover, 

 made of such material, insects could be entirely 

 kept away, and the cage washed throughout 

 without receiving the least damage, by merely 

 plunging it bodily in warm water. A cage made 

 of such material is consequently a much more 

 perfect article than one made of wood. And 

 zinc, both solid and perforated, is so cheap, that 

 were the attention of some spirited maker turned 

 to the subject, many pretty things might be the 

 result. To make a perfect article, however, it 



would be quite necessary, in my opinion, that 

 the bottom be moveable, and of larger circum- 

 ference than the top, and made of light sheet 

 zinc; the upper part of wire and perforated zinc, 

 and the whole japanned. The expense at first 

 would be a little more than wood ; but, in the end, 

 it would prove cheapest. The designs should be 

 good ; always bearing in mind the comfort of the 

 inmate, and the cleanliness of the apartment. 

 Should this last object be completely effected, 

 many ladies, who at present will have nothing to 

 do with a canary in the parlor, would immediately 

 transfer him from the kitchen, to which place he 

 may have been banished — simply because " there 

 was no keeping the carpet cleans — J. C, Glasgow. 



Canary for Breeding. — I have a male canary, 

 who commenced " moulting" three months ago; 

 but who stopped moulting suddenly. He is, 

 however, now in full song. May I " breed " 

 from this bird in the coming season? — J. J. P. 



[If your bird is stout and healthy, you may 

 certainly procure him " a mate " — in March, if 

 you think it desirable. However, bear in mind 

 that if he is & first-rate songster, he will degene- 

 rate in song from the day of the "marriage ce- 

 remony." Birds of real value should live "a 

 life of celibacy." Let us note here, that ten 

 weeks at least are needful for the proper moulting 

 of every cage-bird.] 



THE POETEY OF "LOVE." 

 "Omnia vincit amor!" 



Let not our gentle readers start. We 

 are not about to discourse of the whining 

 rhapsodies, the milk-and-water sayings and 

 doings of common-place, namby-pamby 

 lovers— destitute alike of soul and feeling. 

 No; these everyday perpetrations of madness 

 and folly, which turn the heart sick, find no 

 response in our breast. We sing of " love " 

 in its proper signification, full and deep in 

 its purpose, expansive in its nature, and in- 

 extinguishable in its essence. Boarding- 

 school misses, and puling boys 'in their 

 teens, may sit and read ; but if they dare 

 intrude upon such sacred ground, they may 

 chance to get burnt to a cinder. If they 

 aspire to reach the giddy eminence, we warn 

 them fairly of their danger. 



W r e cannot conceive it possible, that 

 " love " can be cultivated in towns or cities ; 

 the " love " at least we speak of. Amidst 

 the scenes of nature alone can the "pure 

 feeling " be inspired, fed, perfected, and en- 

 joyed. Thus much prefatory. 



Of all the passions which derive additional 

 force from nature, none can experience a 

 greater accession than "love" — that noble 

 feeling of the heart, which Plato calls an 

 interposition of the gods in behalf of the 

 young — a passion celebrated by all, yet truly 

 felt by few. " Dost thou know, what the 

 nightingale said to me?" says a Persian 



