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1, 1865.]

.—Six badgers, two old ones and four young ones, were captured together in April, 1863, at Stanner-rocks, nenar Kington. The young ones were supposed to be about five weeks old. The old ones and three of the young ones were preserved by Mr. J. B. Smith, of Kington.—J. W. L.

.—I regret to have to state that the porpoise, which I lately described as having been brought alive to the Zoological Gardens, is dead. We suppose that the cause of death was, either that the severe frost chilled him so much that even his thick greatcoat of blubber was not able to protect him, or else that he died from eating too many pounds of eels and sprats. The porpoise has been sent to the Royal College of Surgeons, where he will probably one day figure as a beautiful white skeleton. We do not yet despair of getting a tame porpoise, and possible, some day or other, a whale.—Frank Buckland, in "The Field."

.—Some years ago I became the possessor of a land-tortoise of about ten inches in length, which I placed in a walled fruit-garden. At first it was decidedly of a retiring disposition, subsiding into its shell on the gentlest approach or the slightest noise; but after a short acquaintance it became quite familiar, and would take from my hand lettuce-leaves, bread-and-milk, and such-like delicacies. In the summer it was found necessary to restrict its liberty, for after destroying the hearts of innumerable lettuces, it showed an inordinate affection for strawberries, and, as it always chose the ripest and best, would crush half-a-dozen in the attempt to reach one which particularly attracted its fancy. During the winter it resided generally among the manure of the hot-bed, crawling out on a sunny day, and tilting its shell against the wall, so as to catch all the sun's rays possible (resembling in this respect the more famous tortoise with which every reader of Gilbert White's "Selborne" must be acquainted), but quickly retiring when the sunshine passed away, or the least shower fell; indeed, it showed a wholesome dislike to water generally. When I had had it about a year, the gardener, in turning over an old cabbage-bed, dug up three eggs, which, undoubtedly, belonged to the tortoise. They were about the size of pigeon's eggs, but more rounded, with hard, unpolished, white shells; and one, which was accidentally broken, contained an abundant pale yellow yolk. The other two were placed in a bag of mould, in the greenhouse, for some time, but were eventually blown, and added to a collection of eggs. Like most pets, my poor tortoise came to an untimely end; a boy, at work in the garden, met it in its travels, and, attacking it with mistaken zeal, quickly deprived me of my tortoise and the poor creature of its existence.—G. H. R.

.—"I have something more to ask you," said a young eagle to a learned, melancholy owl; "men say there is a bird, named Merops, who, when he rises in the air, flies with his tail upwards, and his head towards the ground; is that true?" "Certainly not!" answered the owl, "it is only a foolish tradition of man; he is himself a Merops, for he would fly to heaven without for a moment losing sight of earth."—Lessing.

.—Last December I frequently saw and heard the skylark in this neighbourhood (about four miles west of Glasgow); and early last February I also saw and heard the same bird during a fall of sleet! It can therefore, in my humble opinion, be affirmed of the Alauda vulgaris that January is the only month in which the music is not heard.—P. S.

.—One summer, we were much troubled with swallows building under the eaves of our house. We tried knocking the nests down continually, but to no purpose: they built again. A friend, seeing us thus employed, recommended our rubbing the place where they built with soft soap, which answered perfectly, as the clay would not adhere where the soft soap had been rubbed.—E. W.

.—Seeing this subject quoted in your last number, I mention the following fact, which I know to be true:—One of my family had a goose sitting on twelve eggs, one of which was double-sized. When the time of hatching came, a beak was seen at each end, and two perfect goslings came out. The twelve eggs produced thirteen goslings. The twins were as fine as the others, and lived a fortnight, when they were killed by an accident.—E. W.

.—In answer to A. M. B.'s query as to the behaviour of the common sandpiper (Totanus hypoleucos) when wounded, allow me to say that, as far as my personal knowledge extends, this bird does dive when wounded. I shot one (April 29th, 1863) as it was flying up the river Tour. The bird fell on a little spit of land, jutting out from the opposite bank; and, just as I was going round to secure it, congratulating myself on its feathers being dry, as I wished to have it stuffed, it dived straight across to where I was standing, and then paddled up the bed of the river very quickly, using—wounded as it was—both legs and wings as propellers whilst under the water. The stream was clear, and only about three or four feet deep at the spot; so that I could clearly see its every movement. After a little wading and trouble, I caught it.—A. J. N. M., Taunton.

.—In No. 2 of Science-Gossip I see amongst the "Notices to Correspondents" a paragraph relating to this subject. Now, allow me to give you the recipe of a powder and solution that I have used for some time, and which I find to answer in every respect, as well as arsenical soap. Besides, it has the advantage of not being so dangerous as that compound from the use of which serious consequences often result, owing to its getting between the nails or into any cut that the operator may have on his fingers when using it.

.—Nutgalls, 1 ounce; corrosive sublimate, 2 drachms; white arsenic, 2 drachms; powdered camphor, 6 drachms; salammoniac, ounce; powdered capsicum,  ounce. Mix all well together.

.—Corrosive sublimate, 1 drachm; spirit of salts, 2 drachms; spirits of camphor, 6 ounces. Dissolve the corrosive sublimate in the spirit, and add the acid.

The above recipes are from Mr. Gardner's useful little work, "Taxidermy, or, Bird-stuffing made easy."—J. Aspdin, Richmond, Yorkshire.