335 
ANISEED MIXED WITH HEMLOCK. 
These two plants being allowed to grow wild together in 
the Romagna, great carelessness appears to have been mani¬ 
fested in collecting the seeds thereof, and the consequence is 
that several cases of poisoning have occurred; the quantity, 
in some instances, it is stated, of the hemlock being equal to 
one third of the weight. The French Government have 
therefore directed the merchants receiving consignments of it 
carefully to examine them. 
THE FLESH OF THE HIPPOPOTAMUS AND THE GIRAFFE 
AS ARTICLES OF FOOD. 
In an interesting letter from Dr. Livingstone to Sir 
R. Murchison, which was recently laid before the members 
of the Geographical Society, the doctor, after giving a graphic 
description of his further explorations of the Zambesi , &c., 
says that he found the hippopotami had eaten all his trees, so 
that henceforth, he adds, 44 we shall have war with them to the 
knife. They are good food, half beef and half pork, and lots 
of fat, that serves as butter. This is part of the 4 casus belli/ 
By the way, our good friend, Professor Owen, and the gas¬ 
tronomic committee, will stand very much in their own light 
if the giraffes die a natural death. If they praised the 
eland so, which we consider but so-so, a dinner off the giraffe 
will leave them all lying on their backs.” 
BELGIAN HORSES. 
The Society for Improving the Breed of horses and Deve¬ 
loping Horseracing in Belgium has just been reconstituted 
at Brussels, and the Duke de Brabant and Count de Flandre 
have taken it under their patronage. The Duke d’Arenberg 
has been elected president; and M. Fontaines, burgomaster 
of Brussels, and Count F. d’Yve de Bavay, vice-presidents.— 
Times . 
