told he might bring a piece of bread and eat it; but, before he had time to swallow, his master forbade him, and directed him to show that he had not disobeyed, and the dog instantly placed the crust between his lips. While many of these feats were being performed, M. Léonard snapped a whip violently, to prove that the animals were so completely under discipline, that they would not heed any interruption. After many other performances, evincing the wonderful sagacity and perception of the dogs, M. Léonard invited the writer to play game of dominos with one of them. The younger and slighter animal then seated himself on a chair at the table, and the writer and M. Léonard placed themselves opposite. Six dominos were placed on their edges, in the usual manner, before the dog, and a like number before the writer. The dog, having a double number, took it up in his mouth, and put it down in the middle of the table; the writer placed a corresponding piece on one side; the dog immediately played another correctly, and so on till all the pieces were engaged. Six other dominos were given to each, and the writer intentionally placed a wrong number. The dog looked surprised, stared very earnestly at the writer, and at length growled, and finally barked angrily; finding that no notice was taken of his remonstrances, he pushed away the wrong domino with his nose, and placed the right piece in its stead. The writer then played correctly; the dog followed, and won the game. Not the slightest intimation could have been given by M. Léonard to the dog; his play must have been entirely the result of his own observation and judgment. There was no trickery, no Mesmerism here. It should be added that the performances were strictly private; no gratuity was allowed even to the servant. M. Léonard is a gentleman of independent fortune; and the instruction of his dogs has been taken up merely as a curious and amusing investigation.

(LANCET.)

PENDANT TO THE ABOVE.-At the Lying-In Hospital, Moscow, is a cat, which though arrived at a grave and mature time of feline life, has by no means lost the taste for sport and

VOL. I.

12

frolic so remarkable in Kitten-hood. She has a collection of play-things, which she keeps in a drawer of her own; and on the arrival of any stranger in the establishment, she produces and exhibits her toys with evident pride and satisfaction; carefully carrying back and putting away each successive article. She invariably accompanies the Physician in his daily rounds through the wards; and should a patient, during his absence, require his assistance, Puss proceeds to the Doctor's sitting-room, and pulls him by the dress till she has attracted his attention to the sufferer.---Moscow Letter to the Editor.

IMPORTANT TO MARINERS.

We have lately read so much of the calamity of shipwreck, that any attempt to lessen its horrors, must be hailed as a real blessing. There are few that have not heard of Captain Manby's Life-Preserver. We have just witnessed a successful attempt to simplify the principle upon which that valuable discovery is founded, so as to be available wherever a common cannon and a piece of rope are at hand, There is no occasion for a mortar or a rocket; a common ship-gun will answer the purpose. The experiment was lately tried on the seashore, about a mile southward of Aberystwith. We had been previously informed that Mr. Page, the superintendant of the Harbour Works, had, at the instance of the Harbour Trustees, directed his attention to the subject, and we are glad to state with the most perfect success.

4

The machinery is the simplest possible. A common. twelvepounder, that belonged to the old Agenoria, was placed on the shore, elevated to 40 degrees, and loaded with a nineounce charge of powder, with a well-fitted wadding. Before us lay a long coil of rope, /, inch diameter, with a stout piece of wood or plug, of the length of a common spade, fastened to it. This plug is intended to be put into the mouth of the gun. The problem to be solved, was to project this piece of wood over the breakers before us, so that should a vessel have struck there, as we remember one to have done about eighteen months since at that very spot, and the sea should be too high for any boat to live in the surge, a rope might

be sent from the land to the ship, or from the ship to the land. The simplicity of the whole affair struck us extremely, and no alchymist waited with more anxiety the moment of <projection than we did the firing of the cannon. Those that know anything of these matters will understand us when we say that our great apprehension was, lest the rope should snap-that being the great difficulty to be got over in these experiments. But our apprehensions were quite needless. The gun was fired once, twice, thrice, and the plug and rope were hurled beyond the breakers without a thread of the latter breaking or straining. Its length was 160 yards; but it might be extended by increasing the charge of powder.

That peculiarity of the apparatus upon which the engineer mainly depends for counteracting the tendency of the rope to break is, by strengthening about two feet of that part of it which comes in contact with the plug; this is done by adding to it four others of the size of lead-lines, and which are bound together with pieces of spun-yarn, and fastened to the plug with four small staples, the main rope, or a bit of chain instead, being fastened to it, by a ring and thimble. Thus strengthened, the rope is found sufficiently strong to stand unharmed against the jerk with which it is projected from the cannon, and this it could not do without the four extra supporters. Upon enquiring of the engineer why he preferred a wood plug to a rocket or ball, he stated that in case of a man overboard, the plug would float; and that also in case of being fired from a vessel, it would from its buoyancy be carried on shore by the mere action of the sea. Its extreme simplicity is its great recommendation. There are few vessels without a cannon of some size on board, and a hand-spike or capstan-bar will answer the purpose of a plug perfectly well. We should have stated that the wetness of the rope after the first discharge was found to be of no inconvenience; but care must be had in coiling it properly, so as to enable it to pay out with facility.

CIVIL ENGINEER.

HEAD OF NAPOLEON.-Dr. Guillard, the surgeon of the Belle Poule frigate, who was present at the recent disinterment of

Napoleon's body, states in his published account of the condition in which it was found, that his skull, of ample volume, and his high and broad forehead, were covered with yellowish teguments, bare, and very adherent. »

(PHRENOLOGICAL JOURNAL.)

AUTOGRAPH OF SHAKSPEARE.-A literary curiosity of universal interest, the autograph of our immortal dramatic poet, affixed to the deed of bargain and sale of the house purchased by him in Blackfriars, has been disposed of by Messrs. Evans for the sum of L165, 15s. (COLBURN'S NEW MONTHLY MAGAZINE.)

HOW TO GET A TIGHT RING OFF A FINGER. — Thread a needle flat in the eye with a strong thread; pass the end of the needle with care under the ring, and pull the thread through a few inches towards the hand; wrap the long end of the thread tightly round the finger regularly down to the nail to reduce its size. Then lay hold of the short end and unwind it. The thread repassing against the ring will gradually remove it from the finger.

This never-failing method will remove the tightest ring without difficulty, however much swollen the finger may be. MAGAZINE OF DOMESTIC ECONOMY.

ARTS AND SCIENCES.

LIST OF NEW PATENTS.

RICHARD WHITAKER, of Cambridge, Machinist, for improvements in cutting the edges of books and paper, and for other purposes, and in impressing ornaments, letters, and figures on the binding of books and other surfaces. -Sealed September 4, 1841.-(Six months.)

THEOPHILE ANTON WILHELM, COUNT OF HOMPESCH, of Mivart's Hotel, Brook Street, for improvements in obtaining oils and other products from bituminous matters, and in purifying and rectifying oils obtained from such matters. -Sealed September 4, 1841.-(Six months). JOHN BOOT, of Quarndon, Leicester, Lace Glove Manufacturer, and JOHN KING, of Henor, Lace Maker, for certain improvements in machinery or apparatus for manufacturing or producing figured or

ornamental fabrics in warp, and bobbin-net-lace machines. -Sealed September 4, 1841.-(Six months.)

JOHN GRAFTON, of Cambridge, Civil Engineer, for an improved method of manufacturing gas Sealed September 4, 1841.-( Two

months.)

MICHAEL COUPLAND, of Pond Yard, Southwark, Millwright and Engineer, for improvements in furnaces. Sealed September 4, 1841.(Six months.)

GEORGE WILDES, of Coleman Street, Merchant, for improvements in the manufacture of white lead. Communicated by a foreigner residing abroad.-Sealed September 4, 1841.-(Six months.)

WILLIAM HILL DARKER, Senior, and WILLIAM HILL DARKER, Junior, both of Lambeth, Engineers, and WILLIAM WOOD, of Wilton, Carpet. Manufacturer, for certain improvements in looms for weaving.-Sealed September 4, 1841.-(Six months.)

LOUIS LACHENAL, of Titchfield Street, Soho, Mechanic, and ANTOINE VIEYRES, of 40, Pall Mall, Watch Maker, for improvements in machinery for cutting cork.-Sealed September 4, 1841.-(Six months.) JOHN JUCKES, of Lewisham, Gentleman, for improvements in furnaces or fire-places.-Sealed September 4, 1841.-(Six months)

PIERRE PELLETAN, of Saint Paul's Church Yard, Professor of Medecine, for improvements in propelling fluids and vessels.-Sealed September 6, 1841.-(Six months.)

THOMAS DREW, the Younger, of St. Peter's Port, for an improved method of rolling and cutting lozenges, and also of cutting gunwafers, and all other similar substances, by means of certain machines designed by him, and constructed of divers metals and woods. Sealed September 6, 1841.-(Six months.)

LUKE HEBERT, of 12, Staple's Inn, London, for certain improvements in the apparatus and metals used in the manufacture of gas for illumination, and in the apparatus for burning the same. -Sealed September 8, 1841.-(Six months.)

RICHARD ELSE, of Grays Inn, Esquire, for certain improvements in machinery or apparatus for forcing and raising water and other fluids.-Sealed September 8, 1841.-(Six months.)

WILLIAM FAIRBAIRN, of Millwall, Poplar, Engineer, for certain improvements in the construction and arrangement of steam-engines. →→ Sealed September 8, 1841.-(Six months.)

JOSEPH COOKE GRANT, of Stamford, Lincoln, Ironmonger and agricultural Implement-Maker, for improvements in horse-rakes and hoes.-Sealed September 8, 1841. (Six months.)