A GOVERNMENT BIRD.

I'M informed that the managers of the German Navy have resolved to employ carrier-pigeons as a means of communicating between light-ships and It seems that they light-houses and the shore. have been testing these fine birds in this business during the last few years, and that the feathered messengers have done their work like men-or better than men. Success to the Government bird, says your Jack.

A BOY'S AFTER DINNER POEM.

THE Little School-ma'am asks me to show you these sage reflections in verse by a poetical boy, who one day after a hearty meal unexpectedly found his little conscience full of fish:

FISH THAT NEVER SWAM.

I ate at dinner eggs of shad.
Cooked shell and all, they are not bad;
And yet, somehow, it makes me sad
To think what fun they might have had
If they had hatched-a thousand shad.

But still, I know the Delaware
Has many others swimming there,
And these crude fish may be my share.
If all the eggs the fish prepare
Were laid and hatched, I do declare
There'd be no water room to spare
For vessels on the Delaware.

It 's well all fish are not so large
As that old one which took in charge
Poor Jonah in its whalebone jaws,
Because he did n't mind God's laws;
Or that great sturgeon, king of fish,
That came at Hiawatha's wish,-

And swallowed him and his canoe,
With Squirrel Adjidaumo, too,
And kept him there till it he slew
And sea-gulls pecked the daylight through.
Dear Mr. Longfellow surely knew

His fishing story was not true.

My eyes grow dim and fish-thoughts few;

To sturgeon, shad, and whale, adieu.
VICKERS OBERHOLTZER.

A POLICE-FORCE OF ANTS.

A QUEER way of employing ants is reported by an English gentleman, who has been traveling through one of the provinces of China. It appears that in many parts of the province of Canton the orange-trees are infested by worms, and to rid themselves of these pests the natives bring ants into the orangeries from the neighboring hills. The ants are trapped by holding the mouth of a lard-bladder to their nests. They are then placed among the branches of the orangetrees, where they form colonies, and bamboo rods are laid from tree to tree to enable the ants to move throughout the orangery.

THE

AS THE four composition subjects for this month,* we suggest the following:

WHAT AN AMATEUR NEWSPAPER SHOULD BE.
THE STRUGGLES OF A SCHOOL-MONITOR.

Do DOGS OR HORSES SHOW MOST AFFECTION FOR THEIR MASTERS?

THE WARS OF THE ROSES.

IN behalf of the poor children of New York, ST. NICHOLAS heartily thanks "The Busy Bee Club" of Brooklyn for the following letter, and the twelve dollars which the club sent with it as a subscription to The Children's Garfield Fund:

BROOKLYN, N. Y., March 17, 1883. DEAR ST. NICHOLAS: Having seen your notice about The Children's Garfield Fund in the Letter-Box of January ST. NICHOLAS, our club determined to get up an entertainment in aid of the same. So we had two plays, some music, and recitations, in the parlor of Miss Clara Carr (one of our members), on the 22d of February, 1883. We charged ten cents admission, and made the sum of twelve dollars ($12.00), for which we inclose a check. Please acknowledge the receipt of it through ST. NICHOLAS.

Your constant readers, THE BUSY BEE CLUB. ELEANOR WICKS, Pres. NELLIE PARKER, Secy. CARRIE BELCHER, Treas. Members: Clara Carr, Sadie Rhodes, Bessie Rhodes, May Car

(P. S.-DEAR ST. NICHOLAS: If this inducement succeeds, it will be the first that has been able to restrain a temper certainly not gotten by example from "PAPA.")

We print the above letter and postscript just as they came to us, omitting only the name, place, and date. But we hope to receive another letter by and by, stating that the "inducement" has "succeeded" in enabling our new little friend to "keep good" all the time.

rode for three days in a carriage, going from Brieg to Andermatt, stopping at the Rhone glacier on our way. I never shall forget it. My sister and I walked up to the glacier, with an old guide, and saw the cavern where the Rhone comes out. It comes out of a big cavern in the ice, first a little stream, then gradually flowing into the river. I spent three years abroad, and enjoyed myself very much. I hope you will print my letter, as I am very fond of reading the ST. NICHOLAS. I have taken lessons on the violin for nearly three years. Your affectionate reader, JOSEPH C. HOPPIN.

JEFFERSONVILLE, IND., March 5, 1883. DEAR ST. NICHOLAS: I commenced taking ST. NICHOLAS when I was seven years old, and now I am eleven. I have seven volumes, bound in red and gold, with my name on them, and I read them over and over a great many times. We have had a great flood here, and 8000 people were without homes. If it had not been for the kind people everywhere, sending us food and clothes and money, many would have died. At the cottage in which I was born the water was ten feet deep, and I went skiff-riding over the fences, trees, and tree-boxes, right up to the top of the door, and we could have gone in through the upper sash of the window. The house in which we live stands on a bluff forty feet high, on the bank of the Ohio River, and I saw thirteen houses drift down the river one day. In one house there were four persons: a man, his wife, and two children; they were waving a white cloth, and the life-savers came to their rescue. A little cradle went by with a little blue-eyed boy-baby in it, and went on down the river, and some one caught it and is keeping it until called for. I expect its parents are drowned, as it is there yet. We are all very poor now, but we are so glad to be alive and well, that we do not mind it much.

T. HAMPTON.-No conditions are imposed upon those who wish to send answers to puzzles.

SAN FRANCISCO, March 1, 1883. DEAR ST. NICHOLAS: We have taken you for a good many years now, and I think I have the privilege of an old correspondent, of making a few remarks on the production of Mary Lizzie Spear, in your March number for 1883. I don't think Miss Spear gives the Eastern children a correct idea of the California boys, or of their ingenuity, in saying that "none of them knew how to go about making a sled," for they use them here- of course, not as they do in the snow countries, but surely enough so as to know how to make one, they being such simple things. They are used very often here for a sport quite well known, namely: A number of boys make a sled, and after getting a long rope, wait in the road for a wagon to come along. Seeing one, they rush forward and slip it (the rope) around anything convenient in the back part of the wagon, so getting a ride.

And as you must know from the newspapers, ST. NICHOLAS, the weather during the latter part of December was so cold here that it was said that, if this was a snow country, the signal service would have predicted a snow-storm. Therefore, you Easterners must not imagine that we had mild weather before the storm; and I think that the party must have had a rather cold day on that shore, which is never too warm. Hoping to see the judgment of the California members of ST. NICHOLAS as to which is the more correct of these two letters concerning California and Californian children, I remain, Yours sincerely, A. H. S.

IN connection with the "Art and Artists month, we present the following list of the principal works of Anton Vandyck to be seen in European galleries: PITTI PALACE, FLORENCE: Portraits of Cardinal Bentivaglio, and of Charles I. and Henrietta Maria. UFFIZI GALLERY, FLORENCE: Equestrian portrait of Charles V., portrait of John Montfort. THE BRERA, MILAN: "Madonna and St. Anthony." CAPITOL MUSEUM, ROME: "An Entombment." PINACOTECA, TURIN: Three children of Charles I., "Holy Family," an equestrian portrait. MUSEUM, ANTWERP: Descent from the Cross," "The Entombment," a portrait. MuSEUM, BRUSSELS: "Crucifixion of St. Peter," "A Satyr," portrait of Alexandre de la Faille. MUSEUM OF THE TRIPPENHUIS, AMSTERDAM: Two children of Charles I. MUSEUM, BERLIN: Seven pictures, including four portraits, "The Mocking of Christ," and the "Descent of the Holy Ghost." GALLERY, CASSEL: Four fine

66

portraits. DRESDEN GALLERY: Ten portraits, and a St. Jerome. PINACOTHEK, MUNICH: Twelve pictures, ten portraits, and two pictures of the Pietà. THE BELvedere, Vienna: Nine pictures, four portraits, two Madonnas, "Venus and Vulcan," "Samson and Delilah," "Holy Family," and a Magdalen. ROYAL MUSEUM, MADRID: Nine portraits, "The Crowning with Thorns," and the "Betrayal of Christ." LOUVRE, PARIS: Thirteen portraits, "Renaud and Armid," "St. Sebastian," "Dead Christ," and two MadonGALLERY AT HAMPTON COURT: "Samson and Delilah," and two portraits. NATIONAL GALLERY, LONDON: "Miraculous Draught of Fishes," a study, and a portrait of Vandyck. THE HERMITAGE, ST. PETERSBURG: Twenty-one portraits, "Naked Boys Blowing Bubbles," 'Holy Family," "Incredulity of St. Thomas," and "Martyrdom of St. Sebastian."

nas.

GOLDSBORO, NORTH CAROLINA. DEAR ST. NICHOLAS: My sister has taken you since the second year you were published, but this year I take you in place of my sister. I think you are lovely, and every month I await you anxiously. My mother and I are traveling through the South this winter, and some of the things I see are so funny. My uncle has a very clever setter dog, which can do a great many tricks. When I was at school, he always appeared at the school at a quarter of twelve to take my books home. I hope you will print this in your LetterBox, and oblige your constant reader, EDITH C.

A TRUE STORY ABOUT A Cow.

I WAS going to our barn one day to get the ax. I had to jump a fence. Now Dolley, the cow, was shut up inside of this fence. am very much afraid of her, because she likes to hook. So I stood up and looked about me to see where she was. I noticed that the barn door stood open. It was a very big sliding door. There were two of them, and they met in the middle. Two large barrels of bran were in the barn, uncovered. Now our hired man, Sam, was very careful to keep the door shut, because cows will eat bran or middling until they burst themselves. I had left the door shut except one inch, but while I was gone Dolley was wise enough to push her horn through into the crack, and open it enough to put her head in,. then her body, and last of all her tail. Then she walked straight to the bran, and began to eat as fast as she could. The minute I saw her in the barn I called Sam, and in two minutes up came Sam, all out of breath from running so fast. I told him what had happened, and he rushed in and drove her out, and locked the door and went away. P. G. W. (a little boy eleven years old).

The gentlemen who have thus freely offered their aid can hardly realize how great a service they are rendering. Think of it! Here are over 5000 young and older amateur naturalists belonging to our society, most of whom, living in remote towns, have few opportunities of instruction in the subjects of their choice. They are now placed in such a position that they can go right on with their observations without leaving home; can be advised as to the best books for consultation in their several departments; can exchange specimens and thoughts with members in all the different States and Territories; and can have the assistance of men trained in special departments of science, and all without expense. May not the A. A. be the means of solving one of the most perplexing educational questions of the day? Who knows but we may yet offer regular courses of reading and study in the several departments, followed by examinations, and the presentation of certificates?

That our members are not slow to appreciate the increased advantages the A. A. offers them, is proved by the more earnest and encouraging tone of our Chapter reports, as well as by the large list of new branches which follows:

I

430 Kinmundy, Ill. (A)..

431

Terre Haute, Ind. (A).

432

Grand Rapids, Dakota. (A)

433

Dallas, Texas. (A)

434

Meadville, Pa. (A)

435

Northampton, Mass. (B).

4.. H. L. Halliard, box 756.

436

Toronto, Ont. (A)

437

Burlington, N. J. (B).

438

Somerville, Mass. (A).

439

AGASSIZ ASSOCIATION-TWENTY-SIXTH REPORT. We have renewed cause for gratitude this month in the kind offers of help which come to us from several well-known specialists. The first two are for our botanists:

"If your correspondents desire the names of any ferns, grasses, or plants in general, or any information on the subject of botany, I shall be glad to answer all such, or at least all that come from west of the Mississippi. I realize the value of such work as you are doing. MARCUS E. JONES, Salt Lake City, Utah."

"Noticing your call for the aid of specialists, I briefly offer my services in the following directions: 1. General botanical items of interest. 2. Classification of all flowering plants and vascular cryptogams (ferns, etc.), found on the North American continent and in Germany; also their life histories, etc. 3. Gasteromycetes (puffballs) of the world. 4. Spiders of the U. S. 5. Mammals of the AUG. F. FOERSTE, Dayton, Ohio."

U. S.

"If I can serve the cause mineralogically, call on me. "DAVID ALLAN, Box 113, Webster Groves, Missouri." "I should be glad to assist the A. A. in any matter relating to marine zoology.

"C. F. HOLDER, American Museum Nat. Hist., "Central Park (77th st. and 8th ave.), New York, N. Y." "I have watched, with more interest than I can readily communicate, the genesis and development of the A. A. In answer to your call for assistance, I shall be most happy to identify minerals and the commoner forms of paleozoic fossils.

street.

5. Robert Holmes, 273 Bathurst

6.. Harry E. Sears, cor. Medford and Chester sts. ..Percy C. Pyle, 417 Washington street. 6..F. H. Foster, box 301.

REQUESTS FOR EXCHANGE.

Leaves, flowers, and seed of Chinese tea.-Alfred Stoehr, Cincinnati, O., 99 East Liberty st.

Eggs. Fred Russell, 38 Concord st., Brooklyn, N. Y.

Orange blossoms and mistletoe.-F. C. Sawyer, Beauclerc, Fla. Agates, Florida moss, minerals, etc.-Maude M. Lord, 75 Lamberton st., New Haven, Conn.

Labels for specimens.-H. M. Downs, box 176, Rutland, Vt. Copper ore, manganese ore, and other minerals.-K. M. Fowler, Sweetland, Cal.

After April 1st, silk-worm eggs.-Box 14, Beverly, N. J. Sea-urchins, star-fish, minerals, for ocean curiosities, and fossils.— E. C. Shaw, 60 Locust st., Toledo, O.

Cocoons, Attacus cecropia, for minerals, corals, etc.-Walter M. Patterson, 1010 West Van Buren st., Chicago, Ill.

Minerals, for bugs; lead and silver ore, for tin and zinc.-E. P. Boynton, Cedar Rapids, Iowa.

Minerals, petrified wood, and shells, for fossils and sea-mosses.— D. G. Hinckley, 1435 Elm st., Dallas, Texas.

Birds' eggs, minerals, etc.-Frank W. Wentworth, 1337 Michigan ave., Chicago, Ill.

Coral and ocean shells.-Lemuel A. Wells, Newington, Conn. 1. What is the most common bird in America? 2. What is the largest known glacier in the world? 3. What makes the "fire" in opals? 4. How many minerals in the U. S. whose names end in ite"?-Chicago F.

Plumbago and rose quartz from N. H.-Louis Ager, 295 Carlton ave., Brooklyn, N. Y.

Minerals.-Joseph Stiles, Belmont, Nev.

Two cocoons, Attacus cecropia, and two fossil spirifers.- Ira Larned, Dearborn st., Chicago.

Copper ore, feldspar, and other minerals and shells, for trap-door spiders' nests, fossils, etc.-Thomas Brown, box 55, Waldoboro, Me. Three olive shells for natural curiosities, except birds' eggs.-Willie D. Grier, 590 Tremont st., Boston, Mass.

Lingulas and minerals.-Alvin S. Wheeler, Dubuque, Iowa. Minerals.-G. H. Chittenden, Washington st., Dorchester, Boston, Mass.

REPORTS FROM CHAPTERS.

The mass of reports has so accumulated that we must be content to glance very rapidly at them.

No. 158 is re-organized.- -219 has collected 70 cocoons, and a few winter birds, such as pine grosbeak, and has spent most of its time in arranging and labeling previously collected specimens.-352, Amherst, Mass., numbers 20, and not one has dropped. Three of the members have seen hair-snakes come from the side of the body of a cricket.-The President of 382 gives blackboard notes on entomology at each meeting, which are copied by the members, and at each meeting, also, some interesting extract is read aloud, such as a story about Robert Dick or Hugh Miller, or one of the parables from nature.-Berwyn, Pa., numbers 14 active and 2 honorary. Prizes have been offered in the Chapter for best collections of insects, with excellent results. At each meeting the President has named one mineral to be the subject for the following meeting. During the week all the members studied the subject, and were prepared for a thorough discussion. Among the questions that have been asked are: Why is frost formed on the inside of window-panes? Difference between igneous and aqueous rocks? What distinguishing peculiarity of quartz crystal apart from its shape? (Ans. The striæ on its lateral faces.) What are Plutonic rocks? What are mineral carths? Have birds the sense of taste? What is bog iron ore? [See Crosby's "Common Minerals."] John F. Glosser, Sec.-390, Chester, Mass., has 32 members, and posts weekly printed notices of its meetings. A peculiarly interesting Chapter has been formed at Valparaiso, Chili. The first in South America since Cordoba moved North. Its members are Nos. 5000 to 5007 of the A. A. !- Chicago F, 229, has elaborate letter-heads and envelopes. "Each member has two insect-nets, and a little kit, with chloroform, etc., for insect hunting.' -The new Secretary of 188, Newport A, is F. Burdick, P. O. box 614.-Chapter 366, Webster Groves, Mo., has flourished upon ignorant local opposition, and has increased in numbers from 39 to 65. -364 asks about arrow-heads, etc. These, and coins, stamps, etc., are not recognized by the A. A.- Cedar Rapids, Iowa, has found seven different kinds of scales on butterflies' wings. [Why not send pictures of them -170, Brookfield, Mass., celebrated its anniversary by a special meeting, with essays, etc.; 14 members.-285, Dubuque, Iowa, is getting on exceedingly well; has purchased a nice cabinet, and is studying geology.

There is to be a general reunion of all Chicago Chapters on Agassiz's birthday, May 28.- Chicago G is very active, and intends to "canvass the country round and secure a collection of all the minerals of Chicago.' -Cedar Rapids B has learned the branches and classes of the animal kingdom, and has debated with C, its sister Chapter, the interesting question, whether Arachnida should be classed under the Insecta. Pro: A. S. Packard, Jr., W. E. Wilson, Sanborn Tenney. Contra: J. G. Wood and Webster's Dictionary. [We wish to hear from the A. A. generally on this question.] It is asked whether a corresponding member of the A. A. can also be a member of a Chapter. [Certainly, and vice versa.] Does the sap in trees ever freeze? What is it that we see above and around a hot stove? Has a mole eyes? [Yes.] Can insects hear?-The interest of Neillsville, Wis., "grows daily," and its visible growth is seen in a handsome black-walnut case for the butterflies collected last year. -261, East Boston, has 26 members. "At our next meeting we are to hear several sketches of the lives of great naturalists."- 303 has earned a dagger in the hand-book by deceasing; but its wide-awake Secretary remains a corresponding member.--North Adams, Mass., has a new Secretary, Miss Lulu Radlo. Collections are to be made of minerals, insects, and plants. -Sag Harbor, N. Y., is "flourishing"; has increased to 20 regular and 6 honorary members, and has for exchange micaceous quartz, silver ore, olive and ebony wood, and skates' egg cases.-Bryan, O., is having "splendid" meetings; collecting scraps for a scrap-book, and making excursions.-The members of Chicago E, 153, "go in a body once a fortnight to the Academy of Science. There the President distributes cards containing the names of birds and mammals common here. Each then goes to the cases and finds some bird named on his list, and studies it. When we think we can describe the birds we have selected, we assemble, and are called on in turn to give a description of the chosen bird, but without telling its name. If the members can not tell from the description what the bird's name is, the describer tells it himself. After all are done, the President reads the list, bidding each one to speak when the name of a bird is read that he does not know. The descriptions are kept in note-books."-Altoona, Pa., has 15 members and a fine cabinet, and promises some fossils for our general A. A. cabinet, for which our thanks, we trust, will soon be due. [By the way, members of the A. A. can greatly help us in our work if they will now and then send for the Central A. A. Museum's labeled specimens in their several departments. Chapter No. 1, Lenox, is having cases made and a room furnished for this purpose, and we hope to build up a museum which shall worthily represent the Association. All specimens should have the name of the donor attached. Each Chapter should be represented on our shelves, as many of them already are. J-Belpre, O., writes: "Some of the folks take an interest in us, and others make fun of us, but I notice they are very anxious to know what we are doing."-Scituate, Mass., has 29 members.Taunton, Mass., 93; has over 800 specimens, and Pine City, Minn. (lately formed), has 244 varieties of insects.-Buffalo B, always one of our best Chapters, sends a report so long and full of interest that

it would not be altogether a bad plan to print it entire, for our general report, if there were not 432 other Chapters. Buffalo B is anxious for a general representative meeting of the A. A. next summer, or "some time."-106 has been re-organized.-Beverly, N. J., has made large and valuable additions to its cabinet. "The way we do is this: every week we have essays on some such subject as geology. The first paper names the orders, and mentions some examples of each. The other papers describe the specific examples."-Erlanger, Ky., has found the head of a trilobite measuring 2 by 21⁄2 inches, and is preparing an herbarium.-The address of 311, omitted from ST. NICHOLAS, is San Juan, Col., Mrs. J. L. Brewster, Secretary, 5 members.--353, Philadelphia K, has 26 volumes as a nucleus for a library. San Francisco 321 is "getting on splendidly, and desires a book giving names and pictures of eggs.- Amherst, Mass., desires correspondence. Address H. L. Clarke, Providence, R. I., Sec.

(1) Spider.-I found what seemed to be a brown spider. It measured 11⁄2 inches from the extremities of its legs. Its body was entirely covered with little spiders. Next morning it was dead. The little spiders, at least 50, were swarming on the glass. I had read that spiders' eggs are laid in a cocoon. HIRAM N. BICE, Utica, N. Y.

(2) Rabbit and Weasel.-A little white weasel was observed to drag the body of a large rabbit for sixty rods, over many obstacles. When twigs hindered, its sharp white teeth removed them. E. B., South Gardiner, Mass. (3) Birds.-I feed many birds from th cupola of our house, and they have grown so tame that one dear little fellow eats from my hand. B. KELLOGG, Detroit, Mich.

(4) Electricity.-This winter every metal thing in our house gives electric sparks. The largest come from the steam-radiators. I have conducted the electricity from bells and gas-jets along a wire. Can any one explain it? WILLIE SHERATON, Toronto, Canada.

(5) Pollen.-The grain of heartsease seems to be a prism. A. B. (6) Wingless Moths.-Some of my caterpillars left their cocoons Nov. 1, 1882, and had no wings. They soon died. I do not understand it. Wilmington, Del.

(7) Snakes, Fly-catcher.-For a month I have fed my pet snakes nothing, but they seem as lively as ever. I saw one of my large rattlesnakes shed its skin. It accomplished this by drawing its body around rough stones in the bottom of the case. I have noticed that nine times out of ten the nest of the great Custer fly-catcher contains two or three snake-skins. I heard of one who, unable to find them, substituted onion skins. JAS. DE B. ABBOT. (8) Polyphemus Cecropia.-I have found the larva of polyphemus on hard and soft maple, white birch, and elm. I have found cecropia on white birch and syringa. E. H. PIERCE, Auburn, N. Y.

(9) Spider-While I was watching a spider, it started out horizontally into the air, with no web in front of it. It went a few feet and stopped, keeping up a nimble movement with its feet. Presently it started again, went some 20 feet, stopped again, and then again went on till out of sight. How does it sustain and how propel itself? ZOA GOODWIN.

(10) Smallest Flower.-The smallest flower in the world is Semna Polyrrhiza. E. D. LOWELL, Jackson, Mich. (11) Albino Squirrels.-I have two snow-white squirrels with pink eyes. They were taken from a gray squirrel's nest. Why are they white? A. W. BOARDMAN, Meriden, Conn.

(12) Hornet's Nest.-Geneva's challenge is accepted. I have a hornet's nest that measures from crown to tip 27 inches, and in circumference 42 inches. It was cut from an apple-branch at Bustleton, Philadelphia. T. C. PEARSON.

(13) Hair-snakes.-I have taken hair-snakes from crickets.

(14) Snow-fleas.- On January 31, 1883, I snow-fleas on the unfrozen surface of a pond.

A change of Secretary in a Chapter causes so much confusion that we strongly urge each Chapter to take a P. O. box which may be the Chapter's permanent address. Since the publication of the A. A. Hand-book, the first edition of which is nearly exhausted, the number of Chapters has nearly doubled; and the question of a second edition, revised, containing addresses of all Chapters and other new matter, must soon be decided. We should like to hear from the Association regarding the matter. Before writing to the President, members should recall the conditions of correspondence given in previous reports. In particular, write requests for exchange on separate slips of paper. It will be an additional assistance if Notes on Natural History (which we propose hereafter to number for convenient reference) be written on separate slips, and not in the middle of Chapter reports. Owing to the pressure on our columns, reports must appear substantially in the form shown in this number of ST. NICHOLAS, and the nearer to this form they are when they reach us, the less labor will be required to prepare them for print. All communications, including reports heretofore sent to Mr. Glosser, must be addressed to HARLAN H. BALLARD, Lenox Academy, Lenox, Mass.