Wright, in his corrected and large edition of Buffon, gives the following extraordinary manner of taking wild-fowl in China: "Whenever the fowler sees a number of ducks settled on any particular plash of water, he sends off two or three gourds to float among them. These gourds resemble our pompions; but, being made hollow, they swim on the surface of the water: and on one pool there may sometimes be seen twenty or thirty of these gourds floating together. The fowl at first are a little shy at coming near them, but by degrees they come nearer; nnd, as all birds at last grow familiar with a scarecrow, the ducks gather about these, and amuse themselves by whetting their bills against them. When the birds are as familiar with the gourds as the fowler could wish, he then prepares to deceive them in good earnest. He hollows out one of these gourds large enough to put his head in; and, making holes to breathe and see through, he claps it on his head. Thus accoutred, he wades softly into the water, keeping his body under, and nothing but his head in the gourd above the surface, and in that manner moves imperceptibly towards the fowls, who suspect no danger. At last, however, he fairly gets in among them; while they, having been long used to see gourds, take not the least fright, while the enemy is in the very midst of them. And an insidious enemy he is; for ever, as he approaches a fowl, he seizes it by the legs, and draws it, in a jerk, under water. Then he fastens it under his girdle, and goes to the next, till he has thus loaded himself with as many as he can carry away. When he has got this quantity, without ever attempting to disturb the rest of the fowls on the pool, he slowly moves off again, and in this manner pays the flock three or four visits in a day.

The authority from whom we have extracted the above quotation adds: "Of all the various artifices for catching fowl, this seems likely to be attended with the greatest success, and is the most practised in China."

Now there is an old saying with respect to finding fault with your host's fare, that “ you ought not to dine with a man, and then roast him with his own spit ;" and we presume, by a parity of reasoning, that it is equally ungenerous to "borrow from an author, and then stab him with his own pen." Still, we cannot quite agree with the writer, that the artifice he recommends is the most likely one to be attended with the greatest success; for we doubt very much whether European ducks would be so gulled. Wild-fowl are well known to be exceedingly wary and mistrustful. They never alight without making sundry evolutions round the spot, and have videttes out to reconnoitre whether the enemy is lurking near them. The "pumpkin dodge," which Navarette and Wright both assert is practised in the Celestial Empire and by the Indians in Cuba, in their wild-goose chases, ought, as the saying goes, "to be told to the marines, as the soldiers won't have it." It may, therefore, be a good story for the Chinese marines; but it won't do for the English fluviales.

Pigeon-shooting is now in the ascendancy. In bygone days, among the remarkable shots that practised at the Old Red House, Battersea, were Lords Kennedy and Ranelagh, Hon. George Anson, Captain Ross, Mr. Osbaldeston, Mr. Shoubridge, Mr. Gilmore, and Mr. Arrowsmith. On the 30th June, 1829, the following shooting (at that day

considered unparalleled) took place in a sweepstakes on the occasion of Captain Ross leaving London for the season. The parties were Lord Ranelagh, Captain Ross, Messrs. Osbaldeston, Grant, and Shoubridge; Lord Ranelagh and Mr. Grant receiving four dead birds in advance. The match came off a tie at the fifteenth double shot, between Captain Ross and Mr. Shoubridge. Captain Ross and Mr. Shoubridge then shot the tie off. The captain led, and killed his three doubleshots in succession. The civilian then followed with the same success. Ross, in his next double-shot, missed one bird; and Shoubridge, killing both his, was declared the winner. This was considered by all amateurs present the best shooting ever witnessed, Mr. Shoubridge having killed the unprecedented number of ten double-shots out of the last eleven, and the first bird of the eleventh, making twenty-one birds out of twenty-two. £1,000 to £100 was offered that no person could be produced to excel this performance. It may not be out of place to give the exploits of the celebrated brothers Richard and Edward Toomer, who, with their rifles and a single ball, killed eight pigeons out of twelve, shooting alternately; and one of the pigeons that got away had a leg carried off by the ball. Our continental neighbours also practise pigeon-shooting, and many first-rate "shots" are to be met with in Paris. The Emperor preserves game largely, and excellent sport is now to be had in the royal forests. Among some old documents, we found the following account, under the head of "Royal Preserves in France:" During the reign of Louis Philippe, the citizen king kept the "game alive" in his monarchical domain; and, as a proof of this, and the care with which the forests of France were preserved, we give an extract from "Le Journal de Chasseurs," which gives the following returns, made by the keepers, of all the birds of prey and vermin killed in them from the 1st of January to the 31st of December, 1846:

In the above list, we find seventeen hundred and thirty-seven owls, and seven hundred and forty-three buzzards. Among the former, we believe, were a few specimens of that scarce species, Strix paperina, or sparrow-owl, which is about the size of a blackbird, and so uncommon in our country that not more than one in nine or ten years is to be heard of. Enfield is the spot where they are generally to be found. Of the latter, there were a few of that rara avis the "Honey Buzzard," of whose habits so little is known that naturalists are not even aware where they build their nests. With regard to vermin, or "varment," as the country people generally call it, the French keepers must have reversed the saying, "How difficult it is to catch a weasel asleep," for we find no less than five thousand one hundred and twenty,

seven of these "wide-awake" animals falling under the ruthless hand of the gardes-de-chasse. The lovers of the "noble science" will mourn over the havoc made among the vulpine race, for nine hundred and forty-nine foxes became martyrs to this feudal law, worthy the days of our Norman conquerors. The stray dogs that were destroyed amounted to two hundred and sixty-one-enough to melt the heart of every lover of man's "faithful friend," and to put all kind patrons of the canine race into a raging fever. We see, in our mind's eye," some respected individual patting and fondling his or her beautiful pet, apostrophizing him, and anathematizing our continental neighbours in the following language: "Kill nearly three hundred stray dogs! Oh, the brutes! Oh, those savage monsters!" Return we to the list of the killed, where we find one thousand one hundred and seventy cats destroyed in twelve months. If the French feline race have (as our native one are reported to have) nine lives apiece, the slaughter must have been tedious, as well as awful. The human "tabbies ought to have petitioned Louis Philippe against such an invasion upon their household goods. Four thousand and seventy-three rats, one thousand one hundred and sixty-one polecats, one hundred and fifty-five badgers, and three wolves were victims upon this sanguinary occasion. We have all read, in our youth, the nursery ballad of

"Four-and-twenty blackbirds baked in a pie ;"

but what are they in comparison with above six thousand jays and magpies ready to undergo a similar process?

"Oh! what a dainty dish 'twould be

To set before the king!"

Joanna Baillie's popular lines, so beautifully set to music by Bishop:

"The chough and crow to roost are gone,"

were fully executed, three thousand and twenty-six of the latter having, as it might not be inappropriately termed, "hopped their twig," or gone to their long roost.

The imperial gatherings, under Napoleon III., are truly magnificent, and we cannot here refrain from giving a description of the reception given by a noble to his liege lord, which will present a curious contrast to those now offered in France:

"The Earl of Athole, hearing of the coming of James V., made great provision for him in all things pertaining to a prince; that he was as well served and eased with all things necessary to his estate as he had been in his own palace of Edinburgh. For I heard say this noble earl gart make a curious palace to the king, to his mother, and to the ambassador, where they were so honourably eased and lodged as they had been in England, France, Italy, or Spain, concerning the time and equivalent for their hunting and pastime, which was builded in the midst of a fair meadow, a fair palace of green timber, wound with green birks, that were green both under and above, which was fashioned in four quarters, and in every quarter and nuik thereof a great round, as it had been a block-house, which was lofted and gested the space of three house height; the floors laid with green scarets, spreats, medivarts, and flowers, that no man knew whereon he zeid, but as he had been in a garden. Further, there were two great rounds

K

on ilk side of the gate, and a great portcullis of tree, falling down with the manner of a barrace, with a drawbridge, and a great tank of water of sixteen foot deep, and thirty foot of breadth. And also this palace within was hung with fine tapestry and arrases of silk, and lighted with fine glass windows in all airts; that this palace was as pleasantly decored with all necessaries pertaining to a prince as it had been his own palace royal at home.

"Further, this earl gart made such provision for the king, and his mother, and the ambassador, that they had all manner of meats, drinks, and delicates, that were to be gotten at that time in all Scotland, either in burgh or land; that is to say, all kind of drink, as also beer, wine (both white and claret), malvesy, muskadel, hippocras, and aqua vitæ. Further, there was of meats, wheat-bread, main-bread, and ginge-bread, with fleshes-beef, mutton, lamb, veal, venison, goose, grice, capon, coney, crane, swan, partridge, plover, duck, drake, brisselcock, and pawnes, blackcock, muirfowl, and capercailzies; and also the tanks that were round about the palace were full of all delicate fishes, as salmon, trouts, perches, pikes, eels, and all other kind of delicate fishes that could be gotten in fresh waters; and all ready for the banquet.

"Syne were there proper stewards, cunning baxters, excellent cooks, and potingers, with confectioners, and drugs for their desserts; and the halls and chambers were prepared with costly bedding, vessel, and drapery, according for a king; so that he wanted none of his orders more than he had been at home in his own palace. The king remained in this wilderness at the hunting the space of three days and three nights; and his company, as I have shown, I heard even say it cost the Earl of Athole every day, in expenses, a thousand pounds.'

In giving the above extract from a work written by Piscottie, I have carefully abstained from altering one letter of the original spelling, though the meaning of many of the words may puzzle the reader as much as it does me. "Pawnes" I understand to be "peacocks;" but what "gart" and "syne" are, deponeth sayeth not.

REMINISCENCES

OF A COCKNEY.

BY FORWARD.

SECOND SERIES.

No. XIII.

MR. CRAFTY AND HIS COMPOSITION DEED.

Mr. Thomas Thompson Crafty commenced life as the son of humble parents, and first saw the light of day in a small country town some fifty miles distant from the great metropolis. His parents were plain, plodding, industrious people, who bore a very good reputation in their locality, and managed to bring up their family from childhood to youth, at which stage each child was sent forth into the world to procure his own subsistence. Thomas formed no exception to this general rule, but in his turn was thrust out to sow his own seed and reap his own harvest in due time. I have heard him frequently say that the only education he procured was at a night school, for when at home his services were required about the house during the day, and when he was

apprenticed his master kept him closely at his work from sunrise to sunset, and frequently to a later hour. He learned his business thoroughly, and was a good practical hand at the trade he had selected.

When he had served out his apprenticeship, he made up his mind to leave his country friends, and came up to London with a determination to work his way up to fame and fortune. The implements of his progress he carried his pocket, and jogged along merrily to the destined theatre of his future exploits. Although not a man of literary attainments, he was possessed of great fluency of speech, and of a prepossing exterior combined with a good address. He was of industrious habits, quick in his work, with an inventive genius. Combined with these qualities, he was of a persevering temperament, and particularly impressed with a good opinion of himself and his capabilities. As a journeyman, he obtained and retained some good situations, and eventually was promoted to be foreman.

This latter position brought him into contact with the customers, by whom he was generally liked, and who bestowed their confidence upon him. Finding the business was prospering under his management, the employer gradually left it more and more to the foreman's discretion, and he became well known to the various firms who supplied the different articles with which it was connected. They found that the foreman was a good buyer as well as a good salesman, and some of them offered to support him if he started on his own account. They were aware that he had no capital of his own, but believed him to be honest, and that, although his progress might be slow, yet in the end he would by his tact and perseverance succeed in working up a good trade. They were prepared to offer him a longer extension of credit than they would allow to many others, knowing the class of customers he would be likely to obtain. He had also by his wife's side acquired connexions who, though not wealthy, yet could render him. some assistance, and who likewise wished to see him in business on his own account.

During the several years he had been in London he had succeeded in furnishing a small yet comfortable home; and therefore no further outlay would be necessary in that direction. Amongst the various parties who had promised him their business were found some who were connected with the building and furnishing trades, and they readily undertook the work of the new shop which he was about to open. He accordingly took a house in a good thoroughfare, in a leading position, and, as the traffic was only then beginning to be developed, he procured the premises at a moderate rental and on lease for 14 years. His progress in this undertaking was more successful than he had dared to anticipate, for the chance trade from passengers rapidly increased. The articles sold by him were of a first-rate cut and quality and recommended themselves, and the buyers were more than satisfied with their purchases. At this time he was joined by a relative of his wife, who was also a good tradesman, and in his position of foremen aided most materially to the prosperity of the rising concern. The wholesale trade now had their eyes on him, and he was deemed to be one of the most rising men of the day.

His custom was accordingly courted by the various travellers, and goods were offered to him, in some instances at tempting prices. He