326 
MISCELLANY. 
are of a pure white, the rest of the bird of a beautiful French black. It has been 
presented to the Fifeshire Literary, Scientific, and Antiquarian Society. For 
some years past it has been observed in the neighbourhood of Rossie, but all 
attempts to get within shot of it proved abortive till the present severe storm 
rendered it less'cautious.— Fifeshire Journal , Feb. 15,1838, communicated by Mr. 
Henry Buist, Law Park , near St. Andrews. 
Manna. —This is believed to be an insect secretion, and collected from a 
shrub called Gavan, two feet high, bearing a resemblance to the Broom. It is 
collected in cloths spread beneath them at night, and it wears the form of large 
crystal drops of dew, such as are seen on plants in England early in the morning. 
It is found near Mount Sinai, and regarded with peculiar interest, in consequence 
of its connection with one of the most striking events recorded in Scripture. It 
falls during the heat of the day, is collected early in the morning, and after 
straining it through cloths, it is placed in skins and gourds : a considerable 
quantity is consumed by themselves, a portion is sent to Cairo, and the monks of 
Mount Sinai retail it to pilgrims, who receive it with much reverence as an incon- 
testible proof of the event to which it refers. It is held as a luxury, and used 
for all the purposes of honey, and when taken in any large quantity, proves a 
mild laxative.— Wellstead’s Travels in Arabia. 
Important Article of Food for Horses, Dogs, etc. —When the duty on 
Sago was two guineas per cwt., and the import price from two to six guineas in 
addition, it was merely used as a delicacy, and as food for invalids. Of late the 
duty having been reduced to one shilling per cwt., and the import price from ten 
to seventeen shillings, it costs only half the price of Carolina rice, goes twice as 
far, and is very superior. As part substitute for milk in feeding calves, it is 
found very valuable : the method of using it is to sprinkle one pint of pearl sago 
into three quarts of boiling water on the fire, keep stirring, and in less than ten 
minutes you have a strong jelly, which, mixed with the same quantity of milk, 
is found to be a saving of half the milk, and the calves do better with it. 
Several gentlemen are now feeding their greyhounds upon it, boiled as above, then 
poured over biscuit or bread, instead of broth or jelly made from meat, and find 
it very superior, saving three-fourths of both expense and trouble, at the same 
time keeping their greyhounds in much better condition.—To those who keep 
packs of hounds this will be found a most important discovery. One of the 
largest Horse proprietors in the kingdom is using it as food for them with great 
satisfaction.— Cheltenham Chronicle, April 19, 1838, communicated by Peter 
Hylands, Esq., Bewsey House, Warrington. 
Death of a valuable black Tigress.—Wombwell’s Menagerie left this 
town on Friday last. Previous to its departure it sustained a serious loss by the 
death of a black tigress, which died while giving birth to three still-born cubs. 
