Pig. 8 represents the ankle joint flexed diagon¬ 
ally, as ia often the case when one side of the 
foot happens to he placed on a small stone, 
or other obstacle. 
Fig. 9 shows the action of the ankle joint when 
walking on the aide of a hill, or on an inclined 
plane, the foot accommodating itself to the sur¬ 
face, like the natural foot. 
The ankle joint accomplishes the great, object 
which the Artificial Leg makers have hitherto 
sought for in vain, viz It admits vf motion in all 
directions, like tl\r natural ankle joint, and thereby 
allows the artificial foot to accommodate itself to 
the. varied inequalities of the surface, the same as 
the natural foot. (See Figs. 8 and 9.) 
says that he finds the artificial leg to perform all 
the duties of a natural limb; that he has mown 
grass in the bog, cradled os's, raked and bound, 
and performed all other work of tiie farm as well 
as ever. From blacksmiths, lumbermen, railroad 
engineers, and others, we have also seeu similar 
statements. 
he made between sociability and intimacy. The 
latter, being the opposite extreme of arrogant 
dignity, is equally dangerous. The influence of 
the teacher upon the iniml of the youth is evi¬ 
dently acknowledged by all; while that of the far¬ 
mer, the mechanic, and all with whom they asso¬ 
ciate, only by the few or more observing; hence 
t,hc young teacher feeds that his influence alone 
is to shape the future characters of the greater 
portion of his pupils, which becomes indeed a 
burden to the consciencions mind, and renders 
him less apt to discharge his duties to the pupil’s 
greatest good, than he would did he view the mat¬ 
ter in its true light. w. o. m. 
Genoa, N. Y., 1S60. 
PRESERVATION OF BIRDS, &C.-NO. 2. 
[Written for Moore's Rural New-Yorker.] 
A CRITIC CRITICISED. 
In skinning birds as large as a pigeon, or larger, 
after cutting off the first leg, slip over the jmrt 
attuehed to the body a running knot with string 
enough to hang it to a nail in the wall, as it greatly 
facilitates the operation. The flesh from the 
wings, legs, and ramp, must be next removed. 
In small birds, it may be removed from the inside 
of the wings, hut in large specimens, an incision 
j must be made under the wing. Some species of 
birds will not admit of the skin being pulled over 
the head, on account of the smallness of their 
necks, as the Wood Duck, and others, in which 
case a longitudinal incision is made at the hac k of 
the neck to admit the head being turned out, and 
this cut rauBt be noutly sewed up before stuffing. 
Sew up all shot holes and accidental cuts, and 
your skin is ready for a coat of Arsenical Soap, 
made after the following recipo: — Arsenio in 
powder, 2lbs.; gum camphor, ft oz.; white soap, 2 
ibs.; salt of tartar. 12 oz.; powdered lime, 4 oz. 
Smaller quantities in the same proportion. The 
soap must bo cut into thin slices, and put into a 
crucible, with a very small quuntity of water, 
held over a gentle lire, and frequently stirred, 
with wood. When properly melted, the lime and 
salt of tartar must ho added, and thoroughly 
mixed. It must now be taken off the fire, and the 
arsenic added gently, and well stirred. Deduce 
the camphor to powder, by beating in a mortar, 
with a little spirits of wine, and again, well mixed, 
place it over the fire, to incorporate the ingredi¬ 
ents properly, not heating too much, as the cam¬ 
phor rapidly evaporates. It should now ho 
poured into earthen pots, and allowed to cool, 
, after which, it must bo tied down air tight, and 
’ is fit for use. To use the composition, take the 
EMULATION AS A MOTIVE TO STUDY. 
and our scholarship. Let me tell you what I have 
seen in onr Christian New England: two brilliant, 
light-hearted youths, the rival leaders of their 
class, all the rest left behind, stretching across 
the four years’course neck aud neck, stimulated 
by the spur of an eager emulation, sacrificing 
health and peace, only to drop one into a grave, 
and the other into mental perversion, at the end 
of the heat; this instead of that nobler spectacle, 
—both striving generously together for wisdom’s 
own immortal and unbounded good, each rejoic¬ 
ing in the others gains, and then, both standing, 
nay kneeling, rather, gratefully together, on tlio 
snmmit. both have reached. Wo put our pupils 
too much on this race, not that they may attain a 
common good, but that they may outstrip each 
other. To be wise, to be Btrong, to be masters of 
life, wielders of bright weapons against all ignor¬ 
ance and wrong,—this is not made the aim,—hut 
the complacency of looking back on the rest A 
hateful fire is set running through the fresh 
growths of these unsordid breasts, which scorch¬ 
es, blights, and blackens, wherever its hot tongue 
can find a generous feeling to singe. Pnint uio, 
daid the boy Chutterton, to an artist who asked 
him for a design; paint me an angel with trumpet 
and wings, to publish my name over the world! 
were the horrible 
A FARMER WITH AN IMTKOVKD I.EG, AT WORK. 
Dr. Bet exhibited his legs at the Agricul¬ 
tural Fairs of this State, the two past years, and 
has received a diploma, large medal, and the high¬ 
est commendation. The Committee, in their re¬ 
port last year, declared that " the doctor has not 
only proved himself a first class inventor, but a 
public benefactor.” We offer, therefore, no apol¬ 
ogy for bringing this curious and useful inven¬ 
tion to the notice of our readers, with such ex¬ 
planations by the inventor as will enable them to 
understand its operation. 
The springs are made of railroad car spring 
rubber, aud used by compression; therefore it is 
not possible to overtax or break them. This will 
be appreciated by those who have worn legs with 
metallic springs; especially by those who have 
worn the Palmer leg. Then, Instead of the me- 
Piagiarism, madness, suicide 
chapters of his biography. Why talk of follow- I 
ing knowledge for its own sake, if our practice 
teaches children to prize it only as a ladder to re¬ 
nown, or as a price paid for applause? But, my 
friends, the moment you cany your objection to 
the conductors of education, they tell yon the 
emulative plan is the only one that the previous 
management of their scholars allows them to use, 
with the least hope of getting out of them any 
tolerable amount of work. That is to say, the 
trail of the serpent runs all the way, from alpha- 
■and who knows how far beyond? 
a system of education, by 
In looking over 
bet to diploma, 
Prior once proposed 
having sweet cakes cut out in the shape of the 
letters,—the child to eat a letter as soon as he 
had learned it,—and so on, till ho had devoured 
and digested this baked alphabet. One is rc- 
m'.r.iioct of tills pIilloBoj.lijr of i-nmpound nourish¬ 
ment, when ho Bees little children made to think 
that the only purpose of learning is to be fattened, 
whether on cake, money, or compliments. Sup¬ 
pose ratherthat, from the beginning of his studies, 
the boy were made to feel the grand object of 
them is usefulness to society and the service of 
Cod. Suppose the question put foremost by the 
voice of father, and teachers, and tutor, wore how 
to contribute the largest life to the welfare of 
man, and so to help others to live; how to lighten 
the load of the wronged and oppressed; howto 
raise burdens, and cheer outcasts, and render 
science the minister of overtasked strength, and 
turn discovery to the relief of sorrow; 
“ How best to help tho slender store, 
How tnend the dwellings of the poor, 
How gain in life, as file advances, 
Valor and charity, more and more.” 
The mind can never open its largest compass 
and power under any but the broadest and high¬ 
est motives. Nor can it ever be too soon to ex¬ 
pand it by that Christian measure.— Prof. Hunt¬ 
ington. 
Fig. 1 is a. section of Dr. I.ly’s Bull and 
Socket Jointed Artificial Leg. The ankle joint is 
formed by a ball, I!, of polished ivory, which is 
a joint that admits of evory motion that the 
natural ankle does, without an exception. The 
cords, (', assume tho position and functions of 
the natural tendons. Only three are shown iu 
full, hut tho ends of all are seen in Fig. 3 S is 
three of the five rubber springs, which take the 
place of tho muscles of the natural leg. N is the 
nuts, by which tho tension of the cords and 
springs arc regulated to suit the wearer. E is 
the spring which operates the knee joint. 
Fig. 2 is a posterior view of the leg and thigh; 
the thigh in section,—showing the knee cords, K, 
which take the place of the crucial ligaments of 
the natural knee. 
[Written for Moore's Rural New-Yorker.] 
THE TEACHER. 
Who is not a teacher? What of God’S creation, 
whether possessing intelligence or not, is not an 
instructor iu the world? The ivy that clings to 
the broad arms of the forest oak, teaches unmis¬ 
takably the lesson of dependence. The same oak 
that supported, while in the pride of strength, the 
drooping ivy, when rifted by the thunder-bolt 
oonveyB forcibly to the mind the weakness of the 
mightiest, and how vain it is to clothe ourselves 
in the false glory of our owu greatness, and seem¬ 
ingly lose sight of an omnipotant Power. All 
nature is replete with instructors. Aud if man 
will but listen to their teachings, he will never 
fail to receive lessons of wisdom, whereby to be¬ 
come acquainted with the character and workings 
of the great Greater. 
Hut, of the iustructor of the young mind, we 
designed to speak more particularly,—of him 
whose fate it is to encounter the numerous per¬ 
plexities and difficulties attendant on the teacher’s 
life. We need not here speak of the responsi¬ 
bility of the teacher's position; it has already been 
“thread-bare” by abler pens. Wc speak 
importance, as “/I Lover of Nature' 1 ' 1 discovered 
scarcely any two birds having tho same posture, 
or habits. In some, the wings cross over the 
tail; in others, they fall under tho feathers of the 
breast and tail; and, again, others meet in the 
center of the tail. When a bird is shot, all these 
points must he noticed. Good engravings will 
also assist, and here is scope for all the powers of 
the Naturalist. Having given the position you 
desire, take a strip of cloth and place under the 
breast, bring the ends gently over the hack, and 
stick a pin through. This will keep tho feathers 
in place while drying; but if yon wish tho wings 
raised a little, [dace under them a little cotton, 
omitting the band. Should the wing feathers 
become out of place while drying, give them a 
gentle pull; if a large bird, and you wish the 
wings extended, take two wires and insert to the 
extremity of the wings, passing them through the 
ring in the oval, and securing them to its aide. 
If you wish it suspended, iu the act of Hying, 
secure a short piece of wire transversely across 
the hack; attach a small wire, pass it through the 
skin of the back, and it may be suspended from 
the celling. In this position, draw the feet up 
close to tho breast, aud turn the head a little on 
one side. In most, positions, it gives more anima¬ 
tion to turn the head a little to the right or left. 
You will require a pointed knife;, penknife; 
round, flat, and cutting pliers; a round, smooth 
stick or two, of different sizes, to stuff the neck; 
a pair ol' pointed scissors, and different sized 
awls and gimlets. vr. v. 
ELY’S IMPROVED ARTIFICIAL LEG. 
Wonderful are the improvements of the pres¬ 
ent age. The sickle and the scythe have taken 
their place with the almost forgotten flail, and 
in a few years will only be seen in rural pictures, 
and heard of only in the lays of pastoral poets. 
The ponderous reaping and mowing machines 
walk through the fields like giant things of life, 
and before them falls the waving grass and golden 
grain. The click of the sewing machine is heard 
in many houses, and its use will soon become al¬ 
most universal^ relieving women of a tedious, 
painful, and never ending labor. We travel al¬ 
most with the speed of the wind, and U3e the 
lightning to notify friends of our coming. 
Our mind was led into this train of thought by 
the examination of a wonderful invention, by a 
physician and surgeon of this city, Douglas 
Bly, which is nothing less than an improve¬ 
ment of an important part of the human body. 
Eyes have been made that look well, bat* they 
have been “eyes that see not.” Dr. Bly has 
invented legs that not only look well, but walk so 
well that they can scarcely be distinguished from 
natural ones. Therefore, if you should be so un¬ 
fortunate as to lose a leg, you need not despond, 
for the calamity ia nothing compared with what 
it wa3 before this invention;—yon have only'to 
go to Dr. Bly, and a few days and a few dollars 
will set you on yonr logs again, all right. We 
have read a letter from a farmer in Michigan, 
whose portrait is given in the engraving below, 
taken while engaged at his labor, in which he 
Fig. -1 shows the curved joints, X, on either 
side of the knee, as constructed by Dr. Bly, for 
amputations below the knee. The curve corres¬ 
ponds with the natural knee, and allows the pants 
to set smoothly. And, Fig. 5 shows the joints, Y, 
for the same purpose, as constructed by all other 
makers. 
written 
principally of tho evil results following an incor¬ 
rect knowledge of the real position he should 
occupy, in relation to his scholars. Not a few in¬ 
structors of the present day, upon opening their 
schools fail by clothing themselves in their robes 
of dignified austerity, seemingly desirous of im¬ 
pressing their strange pupils with the conviction 
that they are no ordinary personages, and nothing 
but extreme deference on their part will insure 
them the prospect of a peaceable existence. This 
mode of introduction is most admirably calcu¬ 
lated to beget distrust in the mftid of the scholar; 
for it is absolutely a difficult task to make a wild 
School-boy believe that any one is more than hu¬ 
man. He is far more likely to bring into requisi¬ 
tion, on such occasions as alluded to, his old stock 
ot choice appellations, from which he will select 
a few for the special adoption of the teacher, 
lire sociable teacher has succeeded best in all in¬ 
stances of my knowledge. But a distinction must 
natural muscles by means of India rubber 
springs, and the tendons by catgut cords of suffi¬ 
cient strength, and the leg was a complete copy 
of nature, Like everything which fakes nature 
for its guide, it is very simple, and not liable to 
get out of order. It is adapted to all amputa¬ 
tions, either above or below the knee. 
Having already given a more extended notice 
of this invention than was our purpose, we will 
close by referring all who desire further informa¬ 
tion to its originator, Dr. D. Bly, Rochester, N. Y. 
Fig. (). The right leg of this figure shows one 
of Dr. Ely’s Artificial Legs, worn by a mechanic, 
and flexed laterally at the ankle joint, the same as 
a natural leg. It assumes every other position of 
the natural leg with equal facility. 
The noblest employment of the mind is in the 
study of nature or truth. 
