fire did not extend further.

By the kindness of Dr. Murie I was enabled to examine the two victims of this sad accident. It was very painful to see these two beautiful creatures but lately in the highest health and vigour, motionless, charred, and inanimate. The measurements of the giraffes were as follows

Large Animal. Small Animal, ft. in. ft. in. From nose to tip of tail..12 4 91

From top of head to hoof.. 12 5 6 ll

Length of mane. 5 2 2 1 Head. 2 2 1 3 Foot to shoulder..... 8 4 10* 6 Horn.... 8~H Ear 11 Tail, with hair. 5 2 1 6

The poor animals were much scorched about the belly and legs, and the left hind-hoof of the smaller one was quite loose from the effects of the fire. The immediate cause of death vras suffocation by the smoke combined with the shock from the intense heat of the burning straw."* The animals were heavily insured, * Protection of Stables from Fire.—The accounts we hear, every now and then, of valuable horses being burnt to death in

SEP. in. G

but this would not replace the noble-looking mother giraffe and her pretty little young one.

This account of the unfortunate accident to the giraffes will, I feel convinced, be read with pain. It is not the money loss that we so much regret as the sufferings the poor animals must have undergone, racing about in their stable over the mass of burning straw till their agonies were ended by suffocation. Denied the wondrous galloping powers with which nature has endowed them, and having no cry or voice that we Jcnow of—for surely in their great peril they would, if ever, have then uttered it, may we not thence conclude that the giraffe is voiceless? The fire was purely accidental, and accidents must occur even under the best supervision of the most careful officers. I would suggest to the Council of the Zoological Society the propriety of looking to the efficacy of the fire-engine in the Gardens, and organising the keepers in such a way that for the future every man shall know his duty in

their stables, and especially the late accident by fire to the giraffes at the Zoological Gardens, induce me to suggest through your columns the use of sawdust for litter, a practice I have adopted for some time in my stable, on the score of economy and safety from fire; it simply requires the dung being raked off, and a little fresh sawdust thrown over any moisture. It does not require removing like straw daily, and forms a soft yet firm compost for the animal’s tread, and if well managed is much “ Land andcleaner than straw litter.—E. C. P.—Note from Water,” No. 51, Jan. 12.

case of fire. The keepers should occasionally, as on board ship and in barracks, be exercised in “ fire ” drill, as was the case with the soldiers of the Second Life Guards. Again, saw-dust should be used in every case

possible in preference to straw?

Giraffes for some years past have not been uncommon animals in our menageries, and as many as sixteen giraffes have been born in the Regent’s Park Gardens, all from the stock originally imported more than a quarter of a century ago. A figure, with description of the first English -born giraffe, from the pen of Professor Owen, is published in the “ Transactions of the Zoological Society.” the first living giraffe brought to Europe was presented by the Pacha of Egypt to King George the Fourth, in 1827. Another specimen was, I believe, at the same time presented to the Jardin des Plantes. On a brick wall at Chiswick the words, “ to the giraffes,” inscribed in huge white letters, can still be seen, but I cannot recollect the exact date of the exhibition. The word “ giraffe ” is derived from the Arabic “ zaraffa,” signifying u eminently beautiful.” Hence also, I learn, is derived the word “ seraph.”

On the 23rd of March 1867, the following leader appeared in Land and Water, No. 61, from the pen of our friend, Mr. Blyth “ After our recent serious ill-luck with the giraffes, the Zoological Society may now be congratulated upon G 2

having had a young male born from the only one that remained of the four which so lately enriched their collection; that survivor being, accordingly, no longer the solitary occupant of the spacious tenement constructed for the accommodation of the tallest and one of the most remarkable of quadrupeds. The new arrival has come into the world in rather an inclement season for the country of its birth, when snow was falling within a few days of the vernal equinox, but there is nevertheless

every prospect of its thriving. It is the seventeenth

giraffe that has first seen the light in the Society’s gardens; and of this great number almost every one has been reared to maturity. We need not feel particularly solicitous, therefore, about the prospect of this one living to take the place of its defunct sire; and we may accordingly congratulate the public, as well as the Zoological Society, upon so welcome an accession to the collection in the Eegent’s Park under existing circumstances; it being no easy matter to procure such an animal as a giraffe whenever wanted, however liberally the purchaser may be disposed to bid for one. At the same time it is exceedingly desirable that new blood should be introduced, as this has never yet been accomplished since the present stock was imported, rather more than a quarter of a century ago. We still hope that the Society will not let slip any opportunity that may yet

offer to supply this undeniable desideratum in the opinion

of most physiologists and experienced practical breeders

of animals.’’ The last lot at our Zoological auction consisted of the five bears— me nrst one, certainly as fine a specimen of a brown bear as we ever saw, sold for only six pound six shillings. The next, also a brown bear, nearly as big, for five pounds. The other two for four pounds and four pounds ten shillings. Poor things They also were probably defunct soon after the sale; for they were all bought by an eminent hair- dresser in

the City. Not long since there was a certain barber, who lived in Hampton Street, 'Walworth Road, who did a good business in bear’s-grease, and all this with one bear, which same bear he killed three times a week. He kept the bear in an area, where he could plainly be seen by the passers-by. He was a tame creature was this bear; the proprietor used to feed him with meat, placed on the end of a long stick, to make believe he was very savage; yet the little school-children, from the neighbouring “ penny a week school,” used to buy buns for him, and feed him with their fingers through the bars of the area, for the poor brute was half-starved. The children, sharp as children always are, were not taken in when the proprietor advertised, outside the shop, u another bear just arrived.”

In order to carry out the trick, the barber simply

took the poor old bear, and by means of Hour and grease made him into a “ grey bear,” or he blackened his coat and made him into a u black bear.”

Yet the children always knew their old friend, who had but one eye, and that a regular u piercer nor could they fail to recognise his old moth-eaten coat, even when invited to come and see u the pretty new bear.” who, strange to say, poked his mouth, 11 with the broken tooth in it,” up to the bars of the area, as had been his wont for between five and six years. At the appointed day, when the bear was advertised to be killed, the poor beast was made to retire from the area; and shortly afterwards were heard, proceeding from under the barber’s shop, the most dreadful yells and roarings, followed by groans as of the poor bear in the agonies of death. At last all was over, and the bear’s cage was brought out (apparently empty) and taken off to the docks. A dried head and skin of a bear were duly hung up in the shop window, to show the public that a bear had just been killed for grease.

The next morning another bear was brought back from the docks, and deposited in the area, in his turn to be killed, and so on. But the truth was at last discovered. There was a certain Jew fishmonger, who went by the name of “ Leather-mouthed Jemmy,” on account of his tremendously powerful voice. This man was hired on

bear-killing days to produce the roars and groans of the dying animal, which he did with a wonderful accuracy. On one unfortunate day the hairdresser would not give the accustomed fee of five shillings. Leather-mouthed Jemmy immediately told the whole conceit, and the hairdresser was obliged to shut up his shop, and sell his only bear, that he used to kill three times a week, for what he would fetch, to the rival barber

over the way.

A HAPPY FAMILY.

True and genuine felicity is a rare treasure among human beings, and few there are amongst us who really enjoy this blessing. Diverse are the dispositions of members of households, opposite their tastes, different their tempers. Pare indeed is a “ Happy Family.”

I never met with but two in my life. One was on Waterloo Bridge, some years ago; the other in a booth in Windsor onion fair. Oh, Happiness! Happiness! you are denied to men, but granted to a miscellaneous collection of birds of the air and beasts of the field. The origin of Happy Families is, I believe, this. It is recorded in the annals of the parish of Lambeth, that one Charles Garbett, a poor labouring man, had once upon a time a favourite cat; that this cat was robbed of her kittens, and that her maternal affection was so strong that she, in her desolation, took to her affectionate breast a litter of young rats, having either frightened away or else devoured the rightful parent of these poor orphans. She nourished these young rats; she reared them with affection and care till they arrived at rat-hood.

great fact. Charles Garbett was Here was a fact—a a philosopher in his way; his cat, like Whittington’s, was the pioneer to fortune; he seized the idea—he exhibited his cat and rats. He thought, if a cat will make peace with a rat, a hawk will make peace with a pigeon. Then followed a series of experiments, long and tedious, resulting in what?—in a fact which we men and women can hardly attain to, viz., a “ Happy Family.” The secret of conferring happiness upon families is now in the possession of the son of Charles Garbett; he received it as an heirloom, an hereditary fortune from his father, and for many years he reaped the results of his patient care and observation.

The reader will like to be introduced to this family. The fee of admission is one penny, with privilege to converse with either or all of them. In a large cage, many wires of which are broken (but not by turmoils in the family; oh, dear no!), we see the following.

Imprimis: The self-constituted commanding officer, fine handsome fellow, with such aJock, the raven,—a glossy black coat, such an eye, such a sharp beak to keep due and proper order. Then we have four monkeys—two cats—four pigeons—three hawks—two ducks—four guinea-pigs—two ferrets—two rabbits thirteen black and white rats—one cock—two hens one badger—two kangaroo opossums— one hare—one has seen thirteen years’ service, and whoracoon—(who

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