and at the station at Cawnpore took his ancient post at the colour-stand, where the salute of passing squadrons was given at drill, and on reviews. When the regiment was ordered home, the funds of the privates running low, he was bought by a gentleman, who provided a paddock for him, where he might pass the remainder of his days in comfort; but when the corps had departed, and the sound of the trumpet was heard no more, the gallant steed pined, refused his food, and on the first opportunity, being led out for exercise, he broke from his groom, galloped to his ancient station on parade, neighed loudly again and again; and there, on the spot where he had so often proudly borne his beloved master, he dropped down and died!

Before the battle of Corunna, it being found impossible to embark the horses of the cavalry in the face of the enemy, they were ordered to be shot to prevent their being distributed among the French cavalry. The poor animals, the faithful companions of the troopers in many a weary march and hardfought skirmish, stood trembling as they saw their companions fall one after the other, and by their piteous looks seemed to implore mercy, till the duty imposed upon the dragoons entrusted with the execution of the order became unbearable, and the men turned away from their task with scalding tears;

hence the French obtained a considerable number unhurt, and among them several belonging to officers, who rather than destroy their faithful chargers, had left them with billets attached, recommending them to the kindness of the enemy.

We will conclude with an anecdote related of a son of a late church dignitary, whose taste lay more in the sports of the field and the 'Stud Book,' than in Cudworth's 'Intellectual System of the Universe' or such light reading. He was on an important occasion to meet the Bishop of L at dinner, and as it was desirable that a favourable impression should be made upon his lordship, his father begged he would be agreeable to the bishop, and do his best to draw him out, as he was strong in Biblical lore. Matters went on pleasantly enough during the early part of the banquet, our friend saying little, but watching his opportunity for a charge. At length a pause took place, and he thus addressed the bishop, the company listening.

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Might I venture to ask your Lordship a question relative to a point mentioned in the Old Testament which has puzzled me a good deal ?" "Oh, certainly -most happy!" said the dignitary, feeling quite in his element. "Then I should be glad to have your Lordship's opinion as to how long it took Nebuchadnezzar to get into condition after he had been out to grass?” The bishop was not in his element.

CHAPTER VI.

NEW SPECIES. ANCIENT KNOWLEDGE OF THE GIRAFFE.-PLINY.— LORENZO THE MAGNIFICENT.-GIRAFFE AT PARIS.-GEORGE IV. -CAPTURE OF GIRAFFES.-A SINGULAR PROCESSION.-GREAT ATTRACTION. THE FIRST BIRTH.-ACCIDENT.-A DAINTY DISH. -TONGUE OF GIRAFFE.-PETTY LARCENY.-THE PEACOCK UNTAILED.-MOVEMENTS OF GIRAFFE.-GENTLENESS.-SIR CORNWALLIS HARRIS. -FIRST

VIEW.A

DISAPPOINTMENT.-VEX

HOTTENTOTS. -ANOTHER

TROOP.-HOSTILE RHINOCEROS.-HOT CHASE. THE DEATH.-A DESERTER.-ADAPTATION OF FORM.-REFLECTIONS.

"The admirablest and fairest beast that ever I saw, was a jarraff, as tame as a domesticall deere, and of a reddish deere colour, white brested, and cloven footed, he was of a very great height, his fore legs longer than the hinder, a very long necke, and headed like a camell, except two stumpes of horn upon his head. This fairest animall was sent out of Ethiopia to this great Turke's father for a present; two Turks, the keepers of him, would make him kneele, but not before any Christian for any money. An elephant that stood where this fair beast was, the keepers would make to stand with all his four legges, his feet close together upon a round stone, and alike to us to bend his fore legges."JOHN SANDERSON, 1591.

Or the many features which will hereafter stamp the nineteenth century as "Centuria Mirabilissima," not the least will be the vast number of animals and birds

introduced into Europe, and the great stride made in our knowledge of Natural History during its progress. The precise date of the extinction of a genus or a species has interest; the dodo of the Mauritius and the dinornis of New Zealand have disappeared within the historical period, and there is no reason to suppose that such gaps have been, or will be, filled up by new creations. Second only in interest to the occurrence of these blanks in the list of living inhabitants of the surface of this globe is the record of the introduction of a new race into a part of our planet where it was previously unknown. In such instances the last twenty years have been prolific; the graceful bower-birds and the Tallegalla or mound-raising birds, those wondrous denizens of the Australian wilderness, may now be seen in the Regent's Park, for the first time in this hemisphere. For the first time, also, the wart-hog of Africa there roots, and the hippopotamus displays his quaint gambols; and that "fairest animall," the giraffe, is now beheld in health and vigour, a naturalized inhabitant of Great Britain.

In the modern versions of the Old Testament, the fifth verse of the fourteenth chapter of Deuteronomy, which enumerates animals permitted to be eaten by the Israelites, mentions "the hart and the roebuck, and the fallow deer, and the wild goat, and the pygarg, and the wild ox, and the chamois." It has