Cobe.-(After surveying the regiment of law- CAIRNGORM STONES.-For some years past very yers for some time.) Judge, I told you you did few of those precious stones for which the Cairnnot understand my case; it's a particular sort of a gorm mountains are celebrated have been found. case, and I don't see anybody here that does under-Last week, however, a shepherd from Strathspey stand it; it's a very particular case, judge. Plaintiff. If your honor pleases, I demand judgment against Mr. Jacob Straws.

From Fraser's Magazine. LEAVES FROM A NATURALIST'S NOTE-BOOK.

A BEAVER* arrived in this country in the winter of 1825, very young, being small and woolly, and without the covering of long hair that marks the adult animal. It was the sole survivor of five or six which were shipped at the same time, and it was in a very pitiable condition, lean, and with the coat all clogged with pitch and tar. Good treatment quickly restored it to health; it grew apace, plumped out, and the fur became clean and in good condition. Kindness soon made it familiar. When called by its name "Binny," it generally answered with a little, low, plaintive cry, and came to its owner. The hearth-rug was its favorite haunt in a winter evening, and thereon it would lie stretched out at its length, sometimes on its back, sometimes on its side, and sometimes on its belly, expanding its webbed toes to secure the full action of a comfortable fire on them, but always

near its master.

hay, cotton-wool, &c., and to make a nest. When he had done this to his satisfaction, he would sit up under the drawers, and comb himself with the nails of his hind feet. In this operation, that which appeared at first to be a malformation was shown to be a beautiful adaptation to the necessities of the animal. The huge webbed hind-feet of the beaver turn in so as to give the appearance of deformity; but if the toes were straight, instead of being incurved, the animal could not use them so readily for the purpose of keeping its fur in order, and cleansing it from dirt and moisture.

that the song of birds depends on that which they It has been asserted, and in some degree proved, first hear; but their nest-making seems to be the result of innate instinct. Binny must have been captured too young to have seen any of the buildbut his instinct impelled him to go to work under ing operations of his parents or their co-mates, the most unfavorable circumstances; and he busied

between his right fore-leg and his chin, walking Binny generally carried small and light articles on the other three legs; and huge masses, which he could not grasp readily with his teeth, he right fore-paw and his chin. pushed forwards, leaning against them with his He never carried anything on his tail, which he liked to dip in water, but he was not fond of plunging in the whole of his body. If his tail was kept moist he never cared to drink; but if it was kept dry it The building instinct showed itself early. Be- became hot, and the animal appeared distressed, fore it had been a week in its new quarters, as and would drink a great deal. It is not impossisoon as it was let out of its cage, and materials ble that the tail may have the power of absorbing were placed in its way, it immediately went to work. water, like the skin of frogs, though it must be Its strength, even before it was half-owned that the scaly integument which invests grown, was great. It would drag along a large that member has not much of the character which sweeping-brush, or a warming-pan, grasping the generally belongs to absorbing surfaces. handle with its teeth, so that it came over its shoulder, and advancing with the load in an oblique direction, till it arrived at the point where it wished to place it. The long and large materials were always taken first, and two of the longest were generally laid crosswise, with one of the ends of each touching the wall, and the other ends projecting out into the room. The area formed by the crossed brushes and the wall he would fill up with hand-brushes, rush-baskets, books, boots, sticks, clothes, dried turf, or anything portable. As the work grew high he supported himself on his tail, which propped him up admirably; and he would often, after laying on one of his building materials, sit up over against it, appearing to consider his work, or, as the country-people say, "judge it." This pause was sometimes followed by changing the position of the material "judged," and sometimes it was left in its place. After he had piled up his materials in one part of the room, (for he generally chose the same place,) he proceeded to wall up the space between the feet of a chest of drawers which stood at a little distance from it, high enough on its legs to make the bottom a roof for him; using for this purpose dried turf and sticks, which he laid very even, and filling up the interstices with bits of coal, hay, cloth, or any thing he could pick up. This last place he seemed to appropriate for his dwelling; the former work seemed to be intended for a dam. When he had

walled up the space between the feet of the chest of drawers, he proceeded to carry in sticks, clothes,

*Part of this narrative appeared, by the permission of the author, in The Gardens and Menagerie of the Zoological Society Delineated, 1830. A highly interesting and instructive work.

himself as earnestly in constructing a dam, in a room up three pair of stairs in London, as if he had been laying his foundation in a stream or lake in Upper Canada.

Bread, and bread and milk and sugar, formed the principal part of Binny's food; but he was

very fond of succulent fruits and roots. Tender

twigs, especially of the willow, were greatly to his taste, and he would handle them very adroitly, closed on them much as a basket-maker would drawing them through his fore-paws, which he do when trying a twig, though less perfectly of

course.

An animal so sociable in his habits ought to be affectionate; and very affectionate the beaver is

said to be.

which were taken alive and brought to a neighDrage mentions two young ones, boring factory in Hudson's Bay, where they throve very fast until one of them was killed accidentally. The survivor instantly felt the loss, began to moan, and abstained from food till it died. Bullock mentioned to the narrator a similar instance

Mr.

which fell under his notice in North America. A male and female were kept together in a room, where they lived happily till the male was deprived of his partner by death. For a day or two he appeared to be hardly aware of his loss, and brought

food and laid it before her; at last, finding that of which was lost. He was very fond of sparkling

she did not stir, he covered her body with twigs and leaves, and was in a pining state when Mr. Bullock lost sight of him.

With no slight regret the writer adds a third example in the death of his pet. The housekeeper was very fond of Binny, always consulting his comforts and appetite, making his bed warm, and treating him frequently to Sally Lunns and plumcake, till he became the most plump and sleek of beavers; and the attachment was reciprocal. At last, on the writer's departure from London for some time, he thought that Binny, who had grown excessively fat, would be the better for exercise and change of air, and would be more comfortable if sent to pay a visit to the Tower of London and expatiate there. Mr. Cops, the keeper of the lions, kindly undertook to take care of him. He was suffered to go at large, and had every accommodation, but soon began to fall off in his appetite. In vain did his kind host try every delicacy to tempt his guest. With the exception of a few raisins the dejected animal would eat nothing, and fell away visibly. Fearing the worst, and suspecting that it was pining for its home, Mr. Cops brought it back to the housekeeper. The poor beaver immediately recognized her, uttered his little cry, and crept under her chair. But the blow had been struck; he never rallied, but died, as the good old housekeeper declared, with tears in her eyes, of a broken heart. His skin is preserved in the museum of the Bristol Philosophical Society. Poor Binny! He was a most faithful and entertaining creature, and some highly comic scenes occurred between the worthy but slow beaver, and a light and airy macauco that was kept in the same apartment.

champagne, and after such a treat, his friskings and playful tricks were beyond description funny. His game of romps with Binny was most ludicrous. Often, while Monsieur Mazurier was seated on his master's instep, the bell was rung for Binny, who entered as rapidly as his shuffling gait would permit him, immediately came close to his master's leg, uttered his little cry, and caressed the leg, after his fashion, by rubbing the side of his head and his nose against it. Presently he would perceive Macky, whom he would awake, and endeavor to seduce him to play by prancing and shuffling before him. Macky, nothing loath, would make a spring on Binny's tail and bound off in an instant. Upon which Binny would shuffle and prance, shake his head, and play wonderful antics. People may talk of the gambols of a rhinoceros, but the gambols of the rodent threw those of the pachyderm into the shade, beating them hollow in uncouthness and absurdity. Macky would bound on Binny's back, dance a kind of saraband upon him, and then leap before him, upon which Binny would charge the dancer with the most determined heavy alacrity. Macky was over his head and skipping on his great, flat, scaly tail in a second. Then Binny would shake his head, wheel round like a ponderous wagon, and by the time he had brought his head where his tail was, Macky had bounded from the tables and chairs on and off him twenty times. Binny at last would slap his tail again and again against the floor till he made all ring, whereupon Macky would dance round him and cut the most extravagant capers, touching Binny's tail with his finger and jumping away as quick as thought.

self down thereon; and when the room was entered Macky and Binny were found fast asleep, the former with his head and shoulders pillowed upon Binny's comfortable neck. When Binny died, his master determined to have no more sorrowing for pets, and sent Macky to the Zoological Society's garden in the Regent's Park, where they got him a wife, with whom he lived long and happily.

They had evidently a good understanding with The macauco was a white-fronted lemur,* and each other, and were on the best terms. One day was presented to the writer by the late Captain they were left at large in a room together, where Marryat, R. N. From the excessive agility of there was a linen press, the doors of which had this sprightly creature his master named him been left open. Macky climbed the doors, ran"Monsieur Mazurier," to which name, and also sacked the press, pulled out the sheets, tableto that of "Macky," he would answer by a satis-cloths, &c., and threw them down to the beaver, factory grunting noise. His bounds were won- who, having made a most luxurious bed, laid himderful. From a table he would spring twenty or thirty feet to the upper angle of an open door, and then back again to the table or his master's shoulder, light as a fairy. In his leaps, his tail seemed to act as a kind of balancing pole, and the elastic cushions at the end of his fingers enabled him to pitch so lightly that his descent was hardly felt when he bounded on you. He would come round the back of his master's neck and rub his tiny head fondly against his master's face or ear, and, The two beavers which were in that garden after a succession of fondlings and little gruntings, when the writer gave the late lamented Mr. Bendescend to his master's instep, as he sat cross-nett permission to print the account of his domestilegged before the fire, when he would settle him-cated beaver, were sent to the society from Canada self down thereon, wrap his tail around him like by Lord Dalhousie. They were partially deprived a boa, and go to sleep. When in his cage he of sight before their arrival in this country; but generally slept on his perch, rolled up, with his head downwards and his tail comfortably wrapped over all. If a piece of orange was given to him he would lift the fruit to his mouth and throw back his head, so as to secure the juice, not a drop *Lemur albifrons.

one of them had the use of one eye; and the other, although totally blind, dived most perseveringly for clay, and applied it to stop up every cranny in their common habitation that could admit "the winter's flaw." They lived some time together, apparently happy and contented.