years old, except in some districts, as in Guzerat, where they are sometimes found as large as the Durham ox. Upon their haunches there is an emblem of the fabulous god Siva, to whom they are devoted; and they are held in such high reverence, that no one is permitted to strike them, or to prevent them from feeding, precisely where and upon what they please. They are almost always to be seen in the bazaars, where they unceremoniously enter the shops, begin to munch the grain exposed for sale, and frequently turn over everything in their way, to the great annoyance of the sedate Hindoo, who nevertheless bears it all with a religious patience, allowing the sacred intruder to continue its freaks as long as it may fancy agreeable.

PERHAPS the oldest, because one of the most simple, means of taking animals alive, especially of the larger and fiercer kind, is in PITS, dug of a sufficient size and depth to receive the prey, and to prevent its escape when it has fallen in. The pit is concealed by being covered over with boughs and brushwood, or if necessary, by a more artificial roofing, which will yield to the weight of the animal. When the pit is intended to take carniverous animals, a live bait, such as a lamb, or kid, is fastened on an elevated pole in the middle of the excavation: in endeavouring to obtain this enticing object, the wolf or lion is foiled by the height, and falls into the concealed pit beneath.

These pits are generally made in the path which the animals have been observed to follow in their way to a spring or river. This is the method by which all large animals are captured alive, with the exception of the elephant, the great

size of which precludes the use of a pit; added to which, its weight would cause it such an injury by falling, as would frustrate the object of capturing it.

TRAPS, or artificial constructions which admit of animals entering, and retain or destroy them when so caught, are too numerous and diversified to admit of description. The mouse and rat traps with which all our readers are familiar, may be taken as types, each in its way, of the several species used for taking animals of all kinds.

An account given by Captain Lyon, of a trap made of Ice by the Esquimaux to capture Wolves, is characteristic of the country, and will explain the mode of action of fall traps. "The trap is made of strong slabs of ice, long and narrow, so that the animal cannot turn round in it. The door is a

heavy portcullis of ice, sliding in two well-secured grooves of the same substance, and is kept up by a line, which passing over the top of the trap, is carried through a hole at the furthest extremity of the top; to the end of the line is fastened a small loop of whalebone, to which any bait of meat is attached. From the slab which forms the end of the trap, a peg of ice, wood, or bone, points inwards near the bottom; under this the hoop is lightly hooked, so that the slightest pull at the bait liberates the hoop. The door falls, and the wolf is speared where it lies."

SNARES, SPRINGES, &c., are kinds of traps made of wire or cord, formed into running-loops or nooses, which being drawn tight by the endeavour of the animal to escape, retain it till the hunter returns. One end of the rope is fastened to a tree or stake, and the noose is stretched across the track which the animal has been observed to take.

The following is a common mode of preparing a snare to take hares,

foxes, and other small animals. Two small bars of wood are placed side by side horizontally, at a small height from the ground, by means of two upright sticks, the whole forming a sort of gibbet. One end of a fine wire or string is tied to the end of a strong elastic rod of willow, ash, or any stout wood, stuck in the ground near the frame: a slip-noose is made at the other end of the string, and the rod is forcibly bent till the noose can be brought to hang down to the earth between the horizontal bars. The rod is kept in this state by another string tied to a piece of wood which is fixed to the ground firmly at that end next to which the string is tied; and the other end of this piece of wood is slightly fixed down to the ground by a peg in front of the gibbet. All these contrivances must be carefully concealed or disguised by branches, fern, moss, &c., and the noose must be in the track of the animal. When the hare has advanced far enough to disturb the peg, so as to set the piece of wood free, the elasticity of the rod draws the noose up, and the hare is caught between it and the horizontal bars, and so strangled.

Moles are destroyed by such a springe acting in a slit made across a wooden cylinder, buried under ground in the mole's track, which is previously ascertained for the purpose. The spring to draw up the wire-ring, which forms the noose, is fixed in the earth, and the string or wire goes through the ground down to the ring in the cylinder. The mole, in working his way through, pushes away the peg which holds the ring down, and this being drawn up by the elastic red, strangles the poor beast.

Many small birds are caught when the earth is covered by snow, and their food is scarce, by running nooses of horse-hair, tied to a string pegged down to the ground,-some

grain being scattered as a bait among the hairs. The birds get their feet entangled in the nooses, and draw them tight in their endeavours to escape.

But the most remarkable form of springe or snare, used in hunting, is that called a Lasso, and employed by the Gauchos on the vast plains, or Pampas, of South America, to catch wild oxen and horses. The lasso is a long line made of leathern thongs, terminating in a running-noose, and when used, is attached, at the other extremity, to a hook fixed to the saddle of the mounted hunter. The Gaucho carries the lasso gathered in large coils in his right hand, till he approaches sufficiently near the object of pursuit. He then, with a dexterity acquired by early and constant practice, launches the line from his hand with such unerring precision that the noose falls over the horns or neck of the animal. The hunter immediately wheels his well-trained horse on one side, and causes him to lean away from the direction the ox takes on feeling the cord. The horse and rider are enabled by this action to resist the sudden jerk caused by the whole lasso being drawn tight; and so great is this check, owing to the strength and velocity of the captured prey, that this latter is thrown down by it, and the horse is frequently drawn along, sliding on his stiffened legs, for two or three yards. As soon as the ox falls, the hunter sets off on a gallop, and by dragging the beast along the ground, prevents it from regaining its feet till he has brought it to a place of security, or till an assistant can come up and hamstring it.

The same skilful persons catch ostriches and other game on the plains, by launching from their hand a cord, to each end of which a heavy leaden or iron ball is attached. The cord held by the middle

is swung round and round the head to give the balls sufficient centrifugal force to carry them far enough. When they reach the bird, the line winds round its legs or neck, and either throws it down, or impedes its motion, till the hunter can come up and secure it.

The NET is a most important auxiliary in all species of hunting, when the prey is to be taken alive.

THE ALDERNEY COW. It is the opinion of those best informed upon agricultural matters, that the Jersey and the Alderney Cow are precisely alike-both distinguished by the fine-curved taper horn, the slender nose, the fine skin, and the deer-like form; and both preserved in their purity, by breeding in and in.

Quail, in his report, truly says, that "next to the possession of vraic (sea-weed for manure and firing), the treasure highest in a Jerseyman's estimation, is his cow." It is now as it was in Quail's time. The cow is the object of his chief attention; and his care and affection for it may be compared with those of a German for his horse.

"It is true," says Quail, "that in summer she must submit to be staked to the ground, but five or six times in the day her station is shifted. In winter she is warmly housed by night, and fed with the precious parsnep; when she calves, she is regaled with toast, and with the nectar of the island, cider-to which powdered ginger is added."

The high estimation in which the Jersey cow is held by its possessor, is shared by the island legislature, which has preserved the purity of the breed by special enactments. An act was passed in the year 1789, by which the importation into Jersey, of cow, heifer, calf, or bull, is prohibited, under the peInalty of 200 livres, with the forfeiture of boat and tackle; and a

fine of fifty livres is also imposed on every sailor on board who does not inform of the attempt. The animal, too, is decreed to be immediately slaughtered, and its flesh given to the poor.

The number of cows everywhere dotting the pastures of Jersey, add greatly to the beauty of the landscape; though when one passes near to them, the discovery that they are tethered, somewhat decreases the pleasure we have in seeing them. In apple-orchards, however, in which the under-grass crop is always used as cow-pasture, it is necessary to tether the animal; and not only so, but to attach also the head to the feet, that the cow may be prevented from eating the ap ples, which she would be quite welcome to do, were it not that they might injure her.

All over England, the Alderney Cow, as it is generally called, is celebrated not only for its beauty, but for the richness of its milk, and the excellence of the butter made from it. Extraordinary milkers, even among Jersey cows, are sometimes found. I have heard of three cows on one property yielding cach from sixteen to eighteen quarts per day, during the months of May and June; and of thirty-six pounds of butter being made weekly from their milk. I have heard, indeed, of one cow yielding twenty-two quarts

but these are, of course, extreme cases. The general average produce from Jersey cows may be stated at ten quarts of milk per day, and seven pounds of butter per week. It is stated that in summer from nine to ten quarts produce one pound of butter; and that in winter, when a cow is parsnep-fed, the same quantity of butter may be obtained from seven quarts-an extraordinary produce certainly.

CRUELTY TO ANIMALS.-Let us take notice of the great variety of

creatures, which are made for our use; some for labour, some for food, some for clothing, some for pleasure. At the same time let us remember, that our right in these creatures is not absolute; we hold them from God, and He can deprive us of them, whenever He sees fit, and whenever we abuse them: and therefore the spirit of God has given us this rule:" The merciful man is merciful to his beast." And whoever abuses any of God's creatures, or tortures them, or destroys such as are neither hurtful when they are alive, nor of use when they are killed, will have more to answer for than many usually think. -W.J.M.

THE BOUQUETIN, OR IBEX. THIS animal, which is one of the most elegant of the Goat tribe, was formerly found in the Alps and the Pyrenees in considerable abundance, but has latterly become much more rare, owing to the constant efforts of the hardy hunters of those regions. The whole of the goat tribe are noted for their cunning and lively physiognomy, their fine sense of smelling, and great activity and sureness of foot. Unlike many of the antelopes and stags, the female goats are all furnished with horns, which are, however, much smaller than those of the male. The favourite haunts of all these animals are the highest ranges of mountains to which vegetation extends, where they may be seen perched on the summits of the steepest peaks, or on the edge of the profoundest precipices. From these lofty situations, their quickness of sight enables them to perceive their enemies from a great distance. If pursued, their activity is such, that they can spring from rock to rock with the greatest rapidity. If, by any means, they should be brought to bay, and obliged to act on the

defensive, the danger to which the hunter who ventures to approach is exposed is very great.

The following account of the habits of the Ibex, is extracted from COXE's Travels in Switzerland.

The male Bouquetin is larger than the tame goat, but resembles it much in the outer form. The head is small in proportion to the body, with the muzzle thick, compressed, and a little arched; the eyes are large, round, and have much fire and brilliancy. The horns large, when of a full size weighing sometimes sixteen or eighteen pounds. The beard long, tawny, or dusky. The body short, thick, and strong.

The female is one-third less than the male, and not so corpulent; her colour is less tawny; her horns very small, and not above eight inches long. The young are of a dirty gray colour.

In a state of tranquillity, the Bouquetin generally carries the head low, but in running holds it high, and even bends it a little forward. He mounts a perpendicular rock of fifteen feet at three leaps, or rather three successive bounds of five feet each. It does not seem as if he found any footing on the rock, appearing to touch it merely to be repelled, like an elastic substance striking against a hard body. He is not supposed to take more than three successive leaps in this manner. If he is between two rocks, which are near each other, and wants to reach the top, he leaps from the side of one rock to the other alternately, till he has attained the summit. He also traverses the glaciers with rapidity, but only when he is pursued, for otherwise he avoids them.

As the Bouquetins ascend into the higher regions very early in the morning, it is necessary to gain the heights before them, otherwise they scent the hunter, and betake

themselves to flight. It would then be in vain to follow them; for when once they begin to escape, they never stop till they think themselves entirely out of danger, and will even sometimes run for ten or twelve leagues.

The female shows much attachment to her young, and even defends it against eagles, wolves, and other enemies: she takes refuge in some cavern, and presenting her head at the entrance of the hole, thus opposes her enemy.

When a Bouquetin is shot, the hunters let it cool upon the spot, and then embowel it, putting the blood into one of the entrails, which is esteemed by the peasants a sovereign remedy in many disorders. A large Bouquetin, thus embowelled, will weigh 180 or 200lbs.; a female weighs only from 70 to 80lbs.

THE TIBET GOAT.

Of all the domestic goats this is the most valuable, from the material which it furnishes for the production of those elegant shawls manufactured in the valley of Cashmere and its immediate vicinity. Few goats of this species have been seen in Europe, most probably from the difficulty of preserving their lives through the various changes of climate to which they must be exposed in a journey from the bleak mountains of Tibit, to the shores of countries so far distant from their own clime. They are by no means hardy animals when taken from their native hills, but soon pine and die, if not attended to with extreme care. In the vessel in which the writer of this article returned from India, there were six of these animals, intended as a present for her late Majesty Queen Charlotte but they all died during the passage.

The Shawl-Goat is small; none of those just referred to much exceeded two feet in height. In con

firmation of this I give the proportions set down by M. F. Cuvier. "It is of moderate stature, being two feet high to the withers, and its length from the snout to the inosculation of the tail about two feet ten inches. Its head from the tip of the snout between the horns is nine inches, and its tail five." These goats are covered with long fine hair, reaching nearly to the ground, and almost entirely concealing their legs, which gives an ungainly appearance to their movements, except when they gambol about their native mountains.

They are, indeed, beautiful creatures, the long, wavy hair undulating over their bodies, or raised by their eccentric motions, gives grace to every attitude. The hair waves slightly, but is not crisped like that of the Angola Goat. Upon the head and neck the coat is generally black, but white on every other part of the body, though it is sometimes all white, and occasionally of a very pale gray.

The material from which the shawls are manufactured is a fine silky down, which grows under the long hair next to the skin, and is of the finest texture. As one goat produces but a small quantity, it is exceedingly expensive, and the shawls produced from it, consequently fetch great prices.

It is by no means an easy matter to procure a shawl made solely of the Cashmere wool; as the native manufacturers, finding it so scarce a commodity, commonly mix it with a far less expensive material, by which the value of the shawl is considerably lessened. A large shawl made entirely of the wool of the Tibet goat, might be drawn through a moderately sized finger ring. The colour of this wool is invariably of a pale gray, whatever may be that of the longer hair.

There are several traits peculiar to this goat. It is a graceful and