

KIDD'S LONDON JOURNAL. 



139 



music ( ! ). While on this subject, let us also call 

 attention to the inhumanity of those who keep 

 dogs. The same " vulgar error" prevails, that 

 these poor creatures should only be fed once a day, 

 and then, how sparingly ! What is the conse- 

 quence? The pangs of hunger seize them; they 

 bark furiously all day, and howl throughout the 

 entire night. Such barbarities as these are 

 monstrous. We are doomed to listen to these 

 sounds, every night of our lives! We shall im- 

 mediately commence an article on " Cruelty to 

 Animals," and see if we cannot shame people out 

 of such evil, such diabolical practices. Then 

 will our " Own " Journal not have been brought 

 forward in vain. We have said before, and we 

 again repeat it, it is positively sinful for any 

 person to keep dumb animals, without attending 

 to all their wants and necessities. We see, daily, 

 so very much cruelty of this kind practised, 

 that our pen refuses to lie quiet under it, and 

 we have no wish to coerce it.] 



Breeding of Canaries. — Having a lot of very 

 valuable canaries, among which are the Jonques, 

 and not thoroughly understanding their proper 

 management, I kindly ask your assistance in 

 instructing me in the art of breeding, rearing, 

 and keeping in health these beautiful little crea- 

 tures, as they are so much more delicate than the 

 common sort. What month do you advise me 

 to put them together ? and how shall I feed them ? 

 Mine are the only Jonque canaries I have ever 

 seen in our part of the country, and therefore 

 the breeding of them is quite a mystery. — 

 A. R. P. 



[We shall pen an article on this subject, very 

 shortly. There is yet plenty of time.] 



A Terrier Dog troubled with Worms. — My 

 " pet '' terrier is sadly troubled with worms, and 

 I know not what to give him. Will you kindly 

 prescribe, and make me your debtor in the article 

 of gratitude? — J. M. 



[All medicines, properly so called, are ob- 

 jectionable; but there is one method of expelling 

 worms from the intestines of a dog that is almost 

 infallible. This is, the administration of glass 

 finely powdered. Not a particle of it can pene- 

 trate through the mucus that lines the bowels, 

 while it destroys every intestinal worm. The 

 powdered glass should be made into a ball, with 

 lard and ginger.] 



Grey Parrot with Bad Habits. — I have a grey 

 parrot (presumed to be African) which, being a 

 great favorite, I am very desirous of improving in 

 its personal appearance, which at present is any- 

 thing but prepossessing. It is now, and has been 

 for the last ten years, almost destitute of feathers, 

 from its constant habit of plucking them as they 

 appear. Could you suggest a method of cure ? 

 — M. T. H. 



[If bitter aloes, rubbed over the bald places, 

 does not cure this malady, it would be charita- 

 ble to kill " poor Polly " at once, — would it not ? 

 This fault is peculiar to parrots, -—a branch of 

 the animal creation for which we have no parti- 

 cular fancy. They are never well, and seldom 

 happy.] 



Fruitful Eggs of Fowl and other Poultry. — Is 

 it yet known, whether it be possible to ascertain 

 by the microscope, or otherwise, the fact of an 

 egg being fertile ? There is so much " said," pro 

 and con, about this, and nothing satisfactory 

 "known," that I feel anxious to have your 

 opinion. — Walter. 



[Mr. Boccius has lately used a microscope at 

 Worcester, and seen some millions of eggs in an 

 eel's ovary (at least, so he " says ") ; but we 

 have no faith in microscopes applied for any such 

 purposes, and one single " fact " goes further 

 with us than the " wide range." We believe 

 no person living can satisfactorily determine 

 which is, or which is not, a fruitful egg,— either 

 by the touch, the sight, the weight, the size, the 

 form ; or the chemical appearance viewed by the 

 aid of the strongest gas light. However, hav- 

 ing put the question, let us hear what there is to 

 be said about it, — leaving the " microscope" quite 

 out of sight!] 



The Guinea-pig. — Is the guinea-pig at all 

 useful in keeping vermin away from rabbit- 

 houses ? [not that Ave are aware of]. And what 

 is best to feed them on ? — F. M. 



[These little fellows are very hearty, and will 

 eat anything, — oats, hay, bread and milk, &c. 

 If allowed their liberty, they never ail anything, 

 and will " multiply exceedingly." We once had 

 a pair running about our house, — that pair soon 

 became some other " half-a-dozen pairs."] 



TOWN AND COUNTRY. 



BY MARY MITFOED. 



" I'M desperately afear'd, Sue, that that 

 brother of thine will turn out a jackanapes," 

 was the apostrophe of the good yeoman, 

 Michael Howe, to his pretty daughter, Susan, 

 as they were walking one fine afternoon in 

 harvest through some narrow and richly 

 wooded lanes, which wound between the 

 crofts of his farm of Rutherford West, 

 situate in that out-of-the-way part of Berk- 

 shire which is emphatically called the " Low 

 Country " — for no better reason that I can 

 discover, than that it is the very hilliest part 

 of the royal county. " I'm sadly afear'd, 

 Sue, that he'll turn out a jackanapes !" and 

 the stout farmer brandished the tall paddle 

 which served him at once as a walking- 

 stick and a weeding-hook, and began vigor- 

 ously eradicating the huge thistles which 

 grew by the roadside, as a mere vent for his 

 vexation. " You'll see that he'll come back 

 an arrant puppy !" quoth Michael Howe. 



" Oh, father ! don't say so," rejoined Susan ; 

 " why should you think so hardly of poor 

 William — our own dear William, whom we 

 have not seen these three years ? What 

 earthly harm has he done?" 



" Harm, girl ! Look at his letters ! You 

 know you're ashamed yourself to take 'em 

 of the postman. Pink paper, forsooth, and 

 blue ink, and a seal with bits of make-be- 



