190 
THE CABINET OF NATURAL HISTORY, 
of ulceration of the mucous membrane; generally a quantity 
of dark, foetid fluid in the stomach; while the vessels and 
membranes of the brain present appearances, sometimes 
of intensely, but generally of slightly, increased vascula- 
rity. The most valuable remedies are, first, evacuantsof 
the stomach and bowels, and then cordials and stimulants; 
the use of ether, in drachm doses, frequently given in some 
simple fluid, may, perhaps, be preferred. 
The Rationale of this treatment is appparent. 
There are no Tests by which this mode of poisoning can 
be detected . — Coley on Poisons and Asphyxia. 
EXTRAORDINARY PIGEON MATCH. 
Two persons arrived in London the 10th of July, from 
Antwerp, with 110 pigeons, to be thrown off there, for 
the purpose of ascertaining whether they would find their 
way back, and, if so, in what time they would perform 
the journey. The birds belong to the Cansdel Tavern 
Club, Antwerp; and eighteen prizes were to be competed 
for in this flight; the first a gold medal of considerable 
value, and the others sums of money. Sunday had been 
fixed at Antwerp for their departure, but the weather was 
too hazy. On Monday morning, at a quarter to nine, a 
favourable glimpse of sunshine broke through, which fix- 
ed their determination. The pigeons were contained in 
eight inclosures, constructed of wire and canvass, and capa- 
ble of admitting a sufficiency of air to the birds, and on 
the top of each inclosure was a trap-door of tin. The bas- 
kets were all placed side by side, and after the means of 
opening the traps were so adjusted as to be opened at the 
same time, at a given signal the doors were all lifted up, 
and out rushed the pigeons at the same instant. They rose 
in a flock, and never hovered the least, but bent their way 
as straight as possible in the direction they were most 
likely to reach home. They were all pigeons of a cross 
breed unknown to the English fanciers, having traces of 
the carrier, tumbler, and dragon pigeon, but all having 
one distinguished peculiarity, in what is designated the 
a pearl eye.” The men set off on foot shortly after for 
Dover, with a proper certificate of the hour of depar- 
ture. A letter from Brussels, dated July 23, says — “ The 
pigeons, 110 in number, to be let fly on Sunday in Lon- 
don, were not despatched till the next day at three-quar- 
ters past eight in the morning, with a strong W. S. W. 
breeze. At eighteen minutes past two the gold medal 
was gained; the second pigeon arrived thirty seconds later; 
by twenty-three minutes past two, six had arrived, and 
all the prizes, eighteen in number, were gained by 5 
o’clock, when the nineteenth arrived; twenty-six others 
had reached home before day-break the next morning. 
Thus, the swiftest pigeon flew to Antwerp in five hours 
and a half — the distance in a straight line sixty-two com- 
mon leagues. — Lon. Sport. Mag. 
RIFLE SHOOTING. 
Mr. Editor: 
A few days since, while travelling through Schuylkill 
county, my attention was drawn to a collection of “ Lea- 
ther Stockings,” at a place called St. Clair, who had as- 
sembled for the purpose of shooting for an ox. The in- 
terest I felt in witnessing an exhibition of the kind, as 
well as the grotesque appearance of some of the party, in- 
duced me to remain for the day, and I accordingly took my 
station where I should be free from accident and best wit- 
ness the performance. Some difficulty, however, occur- 
red between the shooters and the owner of the ox, which 
prevented the match from going on. The reasons on both 
sides I could not understand, as the discussions were in 
German; hut in the afternoon, one of your citizens, well 
known and respected, and whose fame as a shooter had 
preceded him, arrived with a hunting party, and imme- 
diately the whole appeared upon the ground for a trial of 
skill. The annexed cut shows the size of the paper 
shot at, and the precise manner it was perforated by 
the different balls. 
Those who shot with a rest took their station at 
one hundred yards, while those who shot off-hand, 
or without a rest, advanced to within sixty yards of 
the target: the forty yards being allowed as an equiva- 
lent for shooting without a rest. The “ city feller,” as 
he was called, being an off-hand shot, and a stranger 
