188 Scientific Intelligence. — Zoology . 
mach of certain fishes. The people use them in many places on 
the coasts of Spain for keeping fire alive in the house. Before 
putting out the fire, which they may have been using for domes- 
tic purposes, they kindle one of these balls by applying it to a 
piece of burning coal, and then deposit it in a corner of the chim- 
ney. The fire spreads very slowly, so as not to consume the 
ball within less than twenty-four hours, by which means a light 
may be obtained at any time. — Bullet. Univers. August 1825. 
40. East Indian Unicorn.— -It having been asserted by the 
Bhoteas , that an animal, called by them the Chirsee , was the 
Unicorn , and the horns which they produced proving that they 
spoke of no imaginary creature, exertions were made, we are 
told in the Calcutta Oriental Magazine, to procure a specimen 
of the animal in question. Accordingly, the skin of one was sent 
to the resident at Atamandra, with the horns attached, shewing 
the animal to be no unicorn, but an antelope, of a species ap- 
parently new. There was no possibility of procuring it alive, as 
it frequents the most inaccessible part of the snowy mountains, 
among the haunts of the musk deer, and is exceedingly vigilant 
and easily alarmed. It is alleged, that although the animal pro- 
duced has two horns, yet, that some individuals of the species 
have only one horn. The dimensions, so far as they could be 
taken from a shrivelled skin, were as follows : Total length 5 
feet 8 inches ; length of body 4 feet 2 inches ; length of head 10 
inches ; length of horns 2 feet 1 \ inches ; tail 8 inches ; ears 4J 
inches. The colour is bluish grey, inclining to red, especially 
on the back ; the hair, about an inch long, and resembling in 
structure that of the musk, with a mixture of very soft wool 
lying close to the skin. The forehead is nearly black, as well 
as the legs ; the belly white ; the snout whitish ; the horns are 
placed very near each other, on the back of the head, and mark- 
ed with annular prominences, which are most conspicuous on the 
upper side of the horn. The animal here imperfectly described, 
if a distinct species, will furnish an interesting addition to the 
very extensive family of antelopes ; but, as Cuvier remarks, it is 
surprising to find men still persisting to search for what the esta- 
blished laws of organic nature demonstrate to be a physical im- 
possibility, namely, a ruminating animal, with a single horn 
placed upon the frontal suture. That the Chirsee should occa~ 
