548 



CHAPTER OF VARIETIES. 



Thaw. — In the neighbourhood of Spofforth, when a very sudden 

 and mild thaw takes place, with perfect calm, after a severe frost of 

 some duration, I am able to prognosticate that a most violent gale of 

 wind will come on in about twenty-four hours. Numbers of times 

 have I prophesied this, and I do not remember having been once wrong. 

 So invariably have I found this to occur, that I have acted upon it ; 

 and I remember particularly surprising my groom on a very still and 

 mild day, after a frost, by telling him that I would not ride the horse 

 he proposed to have ready for me the next morning, on account of its 

 being very skittish in a gale of wind ; and the next day it blew a hur- 

 ricane, as I had expected. I apprehend that it is occasioned by the 

 volume of cold air from Craven and the moors, which rushes down 

 upon our lower regions, when the temperature is suddenly relaxed, and 

 becomes unusually warm. Hon. & Rev. W. Herbert. 



The lamplighter insect. — This astonishing insect is about one 

 inch and a quarter in length ; and, what is wonderful to relate, she 

 carries by her side, just above her waist, two brilliant lamps, which 

 she lights up at pleasure with the solar phosphorus furnished her by 

 nature. These little lamps do not flash and glimmer like that of the 

 fire-fly, but give as steady a light as the gas light, exhibiting two per- 

 fect spheres, as large as a minute pearl, which afford light enough in 

 the darkest night to enable one to read print by them ! On carrying 

 her into a dark closet in the day time, she immediately illuminates her 

 lamps, and instantly extinguishes them on coming again into the light. 

 But language cannot express the beauty and sublimity of these lucid 

 orbs in miniature, with which nature has furnished the queen of the 



insect kingdom. E. J. Ballard. 



Islington. 



Chrysalis of the death's head hawk moth. — Those who 

 endeavour to rear these often fail after the insect has passed into the 

 chrysalis state. I have been informed by a person who has several times 

 bred them, that his method is to moisten the chrysalis every morning 

 with warm water, and then place it in the breeding-cage, near the fire, 

 by which means the fluids of the body are preserved, and the case is 

 not too strong for the perfect insect to penetrate. He also says, that 

 if they be placed in a bark stove with plants, and covered with the 

 earth, they will not perish, as is the case with those generally exposed 

 to the temperature of our climate. L. W. Clarke. 



Birmingham. 



