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OBITUARY. 
We regret having to record the death of Mr. George Austin, 
M.R.C.V.S., who had long resided in New Zealand, where he held a 
distinguished and public position as an agriculturist and veterinary 
surgeon. His death took place very suddenly while occupied in super¬ 
intending the work on his farm at Pokeno on July 7th. The New 
Zealand papers contain long accounts respecting the remarkable changes 
which the body underwent, by which grave doubts existed in the minds 
of his family and immediate friends of his death having really taken 
place, and which consequently led to a postponement of the funeral. 
At the inquest, however, the medical testimony was to the effect that 
death had indeed taken place, and that it was due to heart disease. Mr. 
Austin was in the 63rd year of his age, and obtained his Diploma May 12th, 
1847, shortly after which he left his native country for New Zealand. 
We have to add to the above the death of Mr. John Sherriff, 
M.R C.V.S., of Calcutta, who died at Melbourne on the 13th Sept. 
His Diploma bears date April 24th, 1871. 
MISCELLANEA. 
Desperate Eight between a Dog and a Donkey.— 
An extraordinary encounter between a dog and a donkey 
has just occurred at Blackpool. A retired gentleman, named 
Waddington, owned a fine young donkey and a splendid 
mastiff. The other day the donkey was grazing in a field, 
w 7 hen the dog rushed at it in a ferocious manner, and fastened 
on to its nose. The donkey did not decline the challenge, 
for it at once shook the dog off, bit it about the head and 
shoulders, trampled on it, and tossed it about. The dog 
again seized the donkey, and a crowd soon gathered, but all 
efforts to separate the combatants were of no avail. The 
dog repeatedly fastened on the donkey's nose. Blood 
flowed profusely from both animals, and at the end of half 
an hour the owner appeared upon the scene, and fresh at¬ 
tempts were made to part them, but without success. 
After the fight had lasted half an hour, the owner decided 
to have the dog shot, as it had by this time fastened with a 
firm hold on the donkey's nose. A gun was procured, and 
the services of a good shot obtained. But so savage was the 
fight that it was difficult to shoot one animal without killing 
the other also. At last aim was taken and a bullet put into 
the dog's head, and it dropped to the ground. When the 
smoke cleared away, the dog was dead, but the donkey had 
returned to the charge, kicking, biting, and trampling on 
the dead dog. It w r as with great difficulty the donkey w r as 
at last driven off .—Manchester Evening News. 
Erratum.—P age 826, line 9,/or “ pigs ” read “ pony. 55 
