guard which is daily joining our standard. You 

 will find yourself among some of the choicest 

 spirits of the age. If you insist upon your book- 

 seller obtaining our Paper, he must get it.] 



On the Igneous Origin of Primitive Bocks, Sfc. — 

 The appearance of Geological and the like 

 matter in your Journal, is to be hailed with 

 satisfaction ; because, as there does not exist in the 

 whole range of present Literature any " Popular 

 Journal of Natural History," the broader the 

 basis, the surer the success. Your Correspon- 

 dent, " A Geologist," Glasgow, writes as follows 

 (see page 218). " Will you, Sir, inform me 

 through your pages, of any book or books in 

 which I can find ' Evidences of the igneous ori- 

 gin of plutonic rocks, granite, &c, — together 

 with the analogies between, the lavas of the pre- 

 sent day, and the Obsidian &c, of times 

 past?' Perhaps some of your readers can sup- 

 ply the information. I shall feel obliged." — I 

 would answer this inquiry ex abrupto, thus: — 

 The doctrine of Lavas, and similar formations, 

 has been first broached by Faujas St. Fond, 

 whose works on the extinct Volcanoes of the 

 Auvergne, &c, are very valuable. About the 

 same time, the hitherto prevailing aqueous theory 

 of the formation of Crystalline Rocks, was se- 

 verely shaken by the finding of lava seams in 

 granite. It seemed really too much of the good 

 to ascribe a wafer-origin to rocks of such great 

 hardness, &c. It was Leopold Buch who, con- 

 jointly with the Volcanic system of Geology, 

 first established the up-heaving theory (Erhe- 

 bung's Theory) of mountains and whole tracts of 

 land. This idea completely overturned the 

 hitherto prevailing Hebraic notions on Geology; 

 and the works of German Geologists (Leonhard, 

 Noggerath, &c), are written in accordance with 

 this new theory. It is in the Essays of these men 

 also that some particulars about Obsidian, &c, 

 can be obtained. They are scattered over a 

 great many periodical works, and hardly to be 

 found in a single Treatise. — Dr. J. Lotsky, 

 .London. 



How can I distinguish the Sex of a Wood-' 

 lark ? — I have had two given me, but I am 

 doubtful whether one of them is a male or not. 

 Please enlighten me. — Sophia F. 



[The hen woodlark is of a more beautiful 

 shape than the male. Her breast, which is of a 

 paler ground, is more spotted, and with darker 

 ornaments. The crest on her head is more pro- 

 minent, and the line round the cheeks more de- 

 fined. As a rule, all our indigenous birds hav- 

 ing the most spots on a light ground, and of a 

 clearer white, are hens.] 



Woodlarks with Bad Feet.-~ My Woodlarks 

 are all troubled with bad feet. I am told they 

 are gouty. What is this? and how shall I cure 

 them? They make a sad noise when trotting 

 about. — Amelia H. 



[Miss Minnie! Miss Minnie! you have been 

 neglectful of your little pets. Their feet are bad 

 from dirt, and the noise proceeds from their pat- 

 tens. However, there is one portion of your 

 note to us (which we have not printed), that 

 proves you to be of an " affectionate " disposi- 



tion, therefore we will aid you. Your birds must 

 be taken out separately, one at a time, and you 

 must soak their feet for a quarter of an hour in a 

 tea-cup full of warm water. This will loosen the 

 scales, and cause them, after a second operation, 

 to peel off. Your delicate hand will manage 

 this nicely. Press as lightly as possible on the 

 patient's body while in your hand, and be sure to 

 give him a kiss now and then. He will, when so 

 treated, assuredly submit with a better grace, 

 and not be timid for the future. At the end of 

 tho time mentioned, carefully dry his feet with a 

 soft piece of linen, and be very careful, when re- 

 placing him in his cage, to put him down gently. 

 The legs of a woodlark are as brittle as glass, 

 and when frightened they frequently jump up and 

 break their limbs. Repeat the use of the bath twice 

 weekly, then will the bird's legs and feet be healthy 

 and supple. Give them a good-sized cage, and 

 let the bottom be thickly covered with dry, red 

 sand, mixed with a quantity of scraped chalk, 

 and well-bruised old mortar. When next you 

 address us, we have the vanity to think Ave shall 

 be in your " very best books ; " for we are quite 

 sure you love your birds, and that their little 

 troubles arise simply from your not knowing 

 how to alleviate them. Write again, and report 

 progress.] 



How can I bring up Young Canaries by Hand ? 

 — I have a nest of young birds, recently hatched, 

 which the unnatural parents neglect to feed. 

 What shall I do to rear them? and what is the 

 best food? Do, Mr. Editor, take pity upon one 

 of your great admirers. — Julia. 



[Miss Julia, had you carefully read our re- 

 marks, passim, about breeding canarieSj you 

 would not now have been in trouble. You have 

 begun your operations too early in the season, 

 and are suffering from disobedience. However, 

 we will pull you through your difficulty. Procure 

 some of the finest wheaten bread (stale) ; grate 

 it, and mix it with some scalded rapeseed, 

 bruised; add also some yolk of egg, boiled hard, 

 to it. Remove the nestlings into a warm corner, 

 and cover their cage up, so as to exclude draughts. 

 Then, with the end of a finely-pointed stick, ad- 

 minister a small quantity, every quarter of an 

 hour, of the above food. Their mouths will 

 readily open, and you must be as ready to fill 

 them when opened ; and occasionally let a little 

 water dribble from the end of your tiniest finger 

 into the mouth of each. This will assist in the 

 digestion of their food. We print this pro bono, 

 for you are not the only offender in this matter. 

 We have written you fully by post (you are a 

 good young lady for admitting us so readily to 

 your confidence), and you will now thoroughly 

 understand how to repair your error. Let us add, 

 we are always " yours to command."] 



Fairy Bings. — Can any of your correspondents 

 obligingly furnish me with particulars of this? 

 The "Fairy Ring," as it is called, is never ob- 

 servable on our lawn, in the same particular spot, 

 for two consecutive years. — F. G. 



[We shall esteem it a favor if any of our 

 readers, conversant with the habits of this ' way- 

 ward child of nature,' the Fairy Bing, will tell 

 us what they know about it.] 



