The Sun.
London, England, 1840-12-18 00:00:00

THE FUNDS.

There still continues an inactivity in the various funds
to the present time. Consols opened this morning at
the leaving off prices of yesterday, 88i 89 for Account.
The speculators are shy of operating, owing to the ar-
maments going forward in Germany as well as in
France, which intends to maintain an armed peace ;
no doubt the Allied Powers will make remonstrances to
the Court of France on the subject. This, as well as
the loans spoken of, affects the British Market. Re-
duced rather better, 89k ; Exchequer Bills, 1 dis. 1
prem. ; Bank Stock, 1561 1571 ; India Stock for
Opening, 237 239.
In the Foreign Market, the prices may be quoted
nominal as they left off. Spanish Active, 23/1 4 ; De-
ferred, 11 12 ; Passive, 5- j ; Portuguese, 321 331 ;
Three per Cents.. 211 ; Colombian, 241 k; Mexican,
281 ; Chilian, 55 57 ; Brazilian, 71 72 ; Belgian, 97 99 ;
Data' Two-and-a-Half per Cents., 50i 51i ; Five per
Cents., 974 981.
SHARES.—Great Western Railway, 221 23i prem. ;
New, 91 10 prem.; London and Brighton, 9 81 dis. ;
Blackwell, 51 6 dis. ; Birmingham, 79 81 prem. ;
Greenwich, 71 8 per share ; Southampton, 53 54 per
share ; Croydon, nothing done ; Manchester and Bit.-
miegham , 14 12 discount.
PRICES OF SHARES THIS DAY AT ONE.
RAILWAYS. Paid. Per Share.
Eastern Counties
Ditto Debentures
London and Brighton

Loudon and Blaawall -
London and Birmingham 9O 169 -

London and South Western
Manchester and Leeds
HALF-PAST ONE.

Both the British and Foreign Markets continue in
the snme state as in the early part. of the morning, very
inactive, and there is not a feature worth notice to the '
present period. Every thing appears dull in the City,
these being no arrivals of consequence, with the excep-
tion of the usual foreign mails, and ship letters
from Demerara, of an old date.
Consols have been doing this morning at 89 to 894,
at present 89 ; Reduced the same ; Exchequer Bills,
par, 2 prem., rather better.
The Foreign Market is quite idle, scarce a ',bargain
doing. Spanish Active, 234 ; Portuguese Three per
Cents., 214 ; Colombian, 24/ ; Dutch Two-and-a-Half
per Cents., 51 ; Five per Cents., 971.
In Shares very little doing ; Eastern Counties De-
bentures,4l ; London and Brighton, 41/ 1 ; Black-
wall, 171 4 ; Birmingham, 169 ; South Western,s3l ;
Manchester and Leeds, 761.

A correspondent of the John o'Groat Journal,
mentioning the loss of a Prussian galliot on one of the
Orkney Islands, naively says, " The natives will derive
little benefit from the disaster." It must have been an ill
wind, indeed, that blew nobody good ; and the Orkney-
men seem to think themselves very scurvily used by the
elements. Our northern friends long derived plentiful
harvests from the sea. Wrecks frequently furnished the
plenishing of their houses, and the means of keeping up a
cheerful blaze during the long nights of their stormy win-
ter. But the law, which forty years ago had reached
Tale, has now, we hope, advanced still further northward,
and taught the people of Ultima Thule the propriety and
the justice of respecting the property which the sea has
washed upon their coast.—lnverness Courier.
LARKS.—During yesterday prodigious flocks of
these birds were to be observed throughout the day flying
over the villages of Totteredge and Hendon, in a south-
erly direction, wending their flight, no doubt, to the sea-
coasts, where they can find both food and a resting-place
for their feet, for sky-larks roost upcn the ground, never
settling on trees; and when the ,snow lies deep on the
earth they are unable to find a roosting-place in the fields.
The migration of these birds is a certain and sure prog-
nostic of ♦ery Siberian weather, for they are never known
to leave their accustomed stubblts for a remote latitude,
unless thoy were instinctively conscious of the absolute ne-

cessity of migrating.
A WONDERFUL SERPENT.—M. de Pechery,
merchant, father of a numerous family, was met with on a
party of chase by an enormous serpent, i
which he attacked,
and which wounded him several times n his leg. M.
Pechery defended himself with great courage; and al.
though timely remedies were administered to him, he died
four hours after. This unfortunate event caused great
consternation at St. Pierre. The serpent was nearly
seven feet in length, and when opened there was found in
its belly let young ones. Journal of Guadeloupe.