THE YOUNG NATURALIST. 



7 



as not retire for hybernation till November is 

 f over. It comes freely to sugar, sits on trees 

 palings, and may easily be known, being the 

 gest of all the insects on the wing this month. 

 J is no rarity, and should easily be obtained, 

 then at rest it looks like a piece of rotten wood. 

 Ducullia Chamomile, the Chamomile 

 ark. We place this species here because we 

 d it in Mr. Merrin's list, but we have no 

 rsonal knowledge of its appearance at this season, 

 e think it must have been an abnormal appear- 

 :e, if it were taken in November. It certainly 

 pears early in the Spring, and may be looked 

 regularly in April, but it has been recorded as 

 rly as January, while we ha ve taken it in perfect 

 ndition as late as June. In Spring it is gener- 

 ly obtained at rest, on palings, &c, or flying to 

 wers. From its food plant — Wild Chamomile — 

 owing freely in timber yards and such like places, 

 e perfect insect is often got in similar localities, 

 it occurs now it should be looked for in such 

 ices, or near where the food is known to grow, 

 e will be glad to hear from anyone who takes a 

 ecimen. 



In our next number we shall have something 

 say about pupa digging and larva hunting in 

 ovember, for young readers must not suppose 

 M ;cause Winter is here, that nothing is to be done 

 Entomology. 



While we will be pleased to publish single 

 .ptures of any of the rarer species we have 

 imed, we will also be glad to hear from anybe- 

 nner who has taken a dozen or upwards of the 

 >ecies named in the list. 



CURING SKINS. 



Iost people have, at some time or other, had 

 ins which they would have liked to have had 

 ured, if they had known any process whereby 

 ley could have accomplished that end ; but, not 

 nowing how, and not caring to go to the trouble 

 nd expense of sending them to practical men, 

 hey have been allowed to spoil. Some rabbit- 

 kins are very pretty, and make warm and comfort- 

 ble muffs and other garments for girls in winter. 

 >heep or calf skins make pretty bedside mats, or 

 overs for easy chairs; and mole-skins, &c, are 

 requently used for making purses or bags. These, 



or any other kinds of animals' skins, may be cured 

 in the following manner: — Say it is a rabbit's skin. 

 Lay it oa a table, with the flesh side upwards, 

 and scrape off all fleshy substance or fat, taking 

 care not to tear the skin. Then, get a handful 

 each of common salt and alum, and about two 

 ounces of saltpetre ; pulverise them well, and put 

 them in an earthen pot with sufficient hot water 

 to dissolve them. When dissolved, fill up with 

 cold water sufficient to cover the skin, which im- 

 merse in the liquor for about three days ; then, 

 take out, and hang up to dry. 



When the skin is drying, take care to pull it in 

 different directions every day, otherwise it will get 

 stiff and hard. When nearly dry, take it down 

 and stretch it, hairy side down, on a board, by 

 placing a few tacks around the edges ; then, get a 

 piece of pumice stone and some whitening. Lay 

 the whitening on the skin, and rub it with the 

 pumice stone until it appears like white leather. 

 If you have conducted the operations properly, 

 you should now have a skin perfectly cured, and 

 like a piece of wash leather. 



Skins that are very fatty do not cure well, and 

 should the hair be dirty, it must be washed with soap 

 and water before it is put into the liquor. — S.L.M t 



NESTS AND EGGS OF OUR 

 COMMON BIRDS. 



By S. L. Mosley. 



Most boys, when at school, have a passion foJf 

 bird-nesting, and most of them have no other ob- 

 ject in view than that of robbing, and then tearing 

 to pieces the poor birds' nests ; and too often the 

 eggs thus obtained are only placed upon a wall and 

 " skaged " with sticks or stones for the robbers' 

 amusement. But I hope that none of my readers 

 are guilty of doing this. There is a much higher; 

 object to attain, and I want to show you the way 

 to attain it. Collect a pair, or four, or six eggs of 

 each kind of bird : when you have done that, take 

 no more. Then find out the name of the bird that 

 laid them, and when you take your summer's eve* 

 ing walk, and hear the warblers sing their 

 enchanting melodies, it will be a double pleasure 

 to listen to the song of each bird, and to know 

 where it builds its nest and how its eggs differ 



