shape somewhat resembling a mole, though considerably larger; its skin is of a silky, I might almost say feathery fur (if I may be permitted to use such an expression); in length it is about eighteen inches, as nearly as I can state from recollection. The ornithorynchus is entirely amphibious, but at present very little is known respecting its habits.

The most difficult, but perhaps one of the most curious connecting links is that between birds, fish, and reptiles. The flying fish is of course very plainly indicated in the progressive chain. This persecuted animal seems to be the victim of both the classes with which it claims affinity. Driven from the waves by the attacks of various fish, and seeking shelter in the regions of air (and even that region proving inimical by drying its fins), it falls a victim to its more powerful enemies on the wing, or is compelled to return to the recesses of the deep, from which it is again obliged to fly, till forced back again by the attacks of the aquatic birds of prey, when, if it should not fall in a state of utter exhaustion on the deck or amidst the rigging of some passing vessel, it is speedily devoured by the dorado.* The most beautiful of the species is the Trigla volitans, or flying gurnard; it swims and flies after the manner of the common flying fish (Exocætus). These fish are occasionally found in the Mediterranean, and also in the Atlantic and Indian oceans: both the Exocætus evolans and the Trigla volitans are capable of sustaining a continuous flight of near 250 feet.

The Draco volans seems to present itself as the bond of union between birds and reptiles. This lizard is said to be found in Java, where it is reported to perch on trees, and feed on insects.+

It will be necessary to enter on another very important series ere this somewhat lengthy paper be brought to a close, namely, the connecting link between mankind, fish, and quadrupeds. This idea is sanctioned by the opinion of Dr. Shaw, who conceives the seal or phoca of the ancients to have been assimilated with our own species by its structure; and Mr. Pennant also considers the common seal, the phoca vitulina, to be the phoca of the ancients. He further adds, the structure of the seal is so singular, that as Buffon observes, it was a kind of model on which the poets formed their tritons, syrens, and sea gods, with human heads, the body of a quadruped, and the tail of a fish. In later days it may have occasioned the superstitions at one period so generally received in the united kingdoms of Great Britain and Ireland, relative to the white ladies,§ mermaids, and as in Lancashire, the white witches of the sands.|| The

* Likewise by the Coryphaena hippuris, or dolphin.

† Very little is as yet known of this reptile: there were, however, two specimens in Bullock's Museum.

Vide Shaw.

See Sir Walter Scott.

The "moving sands," near Lancaster: not frequented by seals, yet their existence elsewhere may have given rise to the idea.

great seal from Kamtschatka, in anatomical structure, approaches the nearest in similitude to the human race.

The subject of exploring the affinities of mankind and plants has been ingeniously considered in a short publication emanating avowedly from the Worcestershire Natural History Society, and under their auspices commencing a series of lectures and papers. Mr. Lees has also written a most interesting account of the "animal flowers," or the zoophytes and polypi, &c. which furnish the connecting link between plants and animals; a few incidental remarks on these singular creatures, therefore, is now all that is necessary. Provided with long arms with which to seize their prey, a huge mouth to devour it, which after its repast contracts to a small size, the polypus is nevertheless rooted firmly to the ground, and multiplies by buds, seeds, and even cuttings. Mr. Trembley published a short but interesting paper on the habits of the polypi. He states his having kept some a considerable time for the purpose of observation, and that no species of food seemed to come amiss to them: although they preferred insects, they would eat both fish and flesh.

Some time ago a packet of seeds was received from China, amongst which were those of the blue water-lily,* and, according to the directions on the paper, a large flower-pan was prepared with a little clay, in which the seeds were planted, and the vessel was afterwards filled with water and placed in the hothouse, where it remained during the summer. In process of time a large party of polypi made their appearance in the water at first they were supposed to be indigenous, but a most able and enthusiastic naturalist declared it to be his opinion that the eggs or seeds of the polypi had been imported with the clay and the seeds of the water-lilies! He was decidedly convinced they were a foreign species, and some pains were taken to watch them very minutely: their colour was almost pink, with darker tubercles at the joints from whence the arms proceeded. They appeared a busy and most voracious race, but when winter approached they assumed the accustomed torpor of their species; their length was about a quarter of an inch.

The scale of animated nature is thus brought down to the lowest ebb, yet such is the interminable arrangement that even minute insects which can hardly be discerned with the naked eye, by their labours produce rocks and islands springing in the midst of the wide-extended ocean.

The grand chain or connecting links in the creation, some of our first naturalists, Lamarck and Cuvier amongst others, have endeavoured to disprove. These are names most valuable to general science; and of the former we may indeed say "stat magni nominis umbra!" France, however, has been so long convulsed with intestine commotions, that excitement naturally directed the

Unfortunately they did not succeed.

minds of men to new theories and splendid novelties; thus the Sçavans of that age, and also of the Academie Française, became the tools of a party. It is a well-known fact, that it is difficult for any mind, however elevated, to resist the attractions of interesting speculations, aided by the force of sophistry and ingenious argument. Yet with such a host of authorities to direct the steps of knowledge, the endeavour to enforce and support the received accounts of ancient date, will not be without its interest and usefulness.

G. L. E. P.

MY FATHER'S GRAVE.

Ir is my father's grave,-'tis holy ground,-
He sleeps the sleep of death;-No idle sound
May now disturb his rest. He does not hear
The sigh that rends-marks not the falling tear.
His sleep is calm, and light is his repose
As falls the evening shadow on the rose!
Then may I weep-he hears, he sees me not;
Shade of my father! is thy child forgot?
Is all the past and future hid from thee,
While its dread burthen lies so sad on me?

-

A trembling gleam of light is round me shed
As tho' a missive from the silent dead!
How sweet the pensive thought!-my father near,
To watch above his Christian child's career;-
To mark the pluming wings prepared to fly,
And join him in the regions of the sky!-
How sweet to hold communion with the past
With him-the first-the dearest-and the last
Of many-aye, of all-that sweetly shed
The tears of love around my cradle-bed!-
With her, who watched above my infant years
With smiling hope-and now, with pensive tears,
Like changeful April's sweet and genial showers
And sunshine, on its own young flowers!
Oh! it is sweet to think-to feel that still
Their purposes of love they may fulfil;-
Watching the infancy-oh! not of years!-
Oh! not of anguish!-not of woe and tears
But the bright childhood of that opening scene
The heart conceives not, nor the eye hath seen-
The youth that knows no age-decline-decay,
But bursts and blossoms in perpetual day!

****

THE CATALOG OF SUCH NOBLEMEN, LORDS, AND GENTLEMEN OF NAME

AS CAME INTO THIS LAND WITH WILLIAM THE