KIDD'S LONDON JOURNAL. 



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is rearing two young fowls of a very curious and 

 novel breed, being a cross between a bantam hen 

 and a common pheasant. The male is nearly a 

 jet black, though the tail is considerably shorter 

 than the parent's. The female is a beautiful 

 bright red, with a black neck. They are about 

 the size of ordinary barn-door fowls, and are so 

 tame that out of doors they will pick crumbs from 

 the hand.— A. W. 



Gigantic Eggs. — The committee of manage- 

 ment of the Jardin des Plantes, Paris, have re- 

 cently presented to the Hunterian Museum of the 

 Royal College of Surgeons the casts of eggs of the 

 gigantic wingless bird of Madagascar (" iEpyor- 

 nis maximus " of Gcoffroy de St. Hilaire). These 

 enormous eggs are equal in size to 12 ostrich, 16 

 cassowary, 148 domestic hen's, or 50,000 hum- 

 ming bird's eggs. — S. T. 



Remarkable Sagacity in a Cat. — Some three 

 years ago, there was at Christy's Glass House, 

 near Westminster Bridge, a cat which deserves 

 to be mentioned in a Journal like your " own." 

 This cat, although continually moving amongst 

 the most fragile articles, seldom broke one. She 

 would walk a considerable distance over wine 

 glasses, which were placed so close together as not 

 to allow of her stepping on the shelf or counter. 

 She Avould carefully put one foot after the other 

 into the bottoms of the glasses without ever up- 

 setting one in her progress, although many of 

 them might be very narrow at the bottom. Jf in 

 passing a tall glass article standing on a small 

 base, she happened to move it from its perpendi- 

 cular, she instantly felt it, and would carefully 

 and slowly draw away from it in such a manner 

 that it should not fall towards her. If wishing to 

 pass between two such articles near to each other, 

 she would carefully gauge the distance between 

 them with her body; and if one moved, she would 

 gently draw back and try another route. She was 

 a fine, beautiful cat, and when standing at the 

 street door was often noticed by the passers-by, 

 many of whom would stop and caress her. This 

 she always permitted, and never failed to acknow- 

 ledge the compliment with a most severe clatter- 

 clawing ! She would approach customers at the 

 counter, looking the beau-ideal of feline meek- 

 ness and gentleness, and few could resist a desire 

 to pat " such a mild-looking, beautiful cat." All 

 however who touched her got the usual severe 

 scratching; and just at the moment they thought 

 they were forming a most intimate friendship. I 

 hope, Mr. Editor, to have some day an opportunity 

 of referring to this cat as an illustration of certain 

 principles in phrenology which, I think, are at 

 present anything but well understood. I am of 

 opinion that those propensities which are common 

 to man, and the lower animals, may be studied 

 with great advantage. Our knowledge at present 

 is very limited. 1 hail with peculiar delight the 

 establishment of your "Own" Journal, as it 

 must become a record of curious facts illustrat- 

 ing the nature, habits, and idiosyncrasies of 

 almost all animals. — J. S. H., Woolwich. 



Receipt for Making "German Paste.'' — As I 

 have been most fortunate with all my wild birds, 

 thrushes, &c, I think I may venture to say my 



mode of feeding them is a good one. I therefore 

 accept your challenge, and send you my receipt 

 for German paste. Take one pint of pea flour ; 

 into this carefully rub the contents of a new-laid 

 egg. Add two ounces of fresh lard, and three 

 ounces of treacle to this, incorporating the whole 

 with the naked hand, so as to prevent there being 

 any large lumps. When reduced to a fine 

 powder, put the whole into a clean earthenware 

 pipkin, and place it over a slow, clear lire until it 

 be thoroughly warmed through. Stir it mean- 

 while with a spoon, to prevent it from burning. 

 When sufficiently heated, take it off the fire, and 

 pass it through a fine wire sieve to granulate it. 

 There must now be added two ounces of Maw- 

 seed, and a quarter of a pound of fine chopped 

 almonds. When this mixture has been well 

 worked together, it is ready for use. It should 

 be kept in a clean tin case. — A. P., Highgate. 



[This is an admirable receipt. But we object 

 decidedly to the treacle, if the German Paste be 

 used for larks, &c. Let honey be substituted, 

 and the paste will suit every cage bird.] 



Glass Cages for Birds. — I have neither an 

 aviary, nor a bird of any kind, and I reside 

 chiefly in London ; yet do I delight greatly in 

 reading your weekly observations on these pretty 

 little creatures, and other matters of Natural 

 History. Let me suggest, as all ladies love to 

 see their birds, whether cages might not be made 

 with glass sides? Currents of air would be quite 

 excluded, and every desirable object gained 

 thereby. Glass is now very cheap. — Emily. 



[The idea is a good one. The glass could be 

 cut so as to be moveable, and to run in grooves. 

 It might then be removed for the purpose of 

 being cleaned. Of course the cage would be 

 wired, and the glass used as an external covering.] 



What is the best and easiest Mode of Killing 

 Insects that are wanted for the Cabinet ? — If you 

 can give me any information on this point, I shall 

 feel obliged. I would not willingly inflict pain 

 or torture on any of these pretty creatures. — 

 A. P. 



[We refer you to a review of the " Naturalist," 

 in another part of our Journal. We have there 

 given an Extract that will assist you in your 

 Studies.] 



Cats without Tails. — In the parish of Pains- 

 wick, hamlet of Shepscomb, there was, some time 

 since, and most probably there is now, a singular 

 breed of cats. I had an opportunity of seeing one 

 of them in the house of Air. Neville, the clergy- 

 man. These cats have no tails whatever; being 

 like some shepherds' dogs, guiltless of the shadow 

 of a tail. But what is still more extraordinary, 

 they neither walk nor trot across the room; all 

 their movements are precisely those of the rabbit. 

 Thus, instead of walking, they hop — whether 

 at a slow or a fast pace. With the exception of 

 a deficiency in the caudal appendage, the ani- 

 mal is in all other respects a perfect cat. I could 

 not, although I made diligent inquiry, learn an) - 

 thing satisfactory as to the origin of tbese animals, 

 which have so much the resemblance of a *• cross " 

 between "bunny" and "grimalkin." 1 may 

 however remark that there was a rabbit warren 



