The Sun.
London, England, 1846-09-05 00:00:00

ZOOLOGICAL IMPORTS.

Captain Gallilee, of the Cestus, of this port, recently
returned with guano from the coast of Patagonia, has
brought home a valuable collection of South Aine”ican
specimens of natural history. They are in part designed
as a present to the owner, Mr. Robert Collison, through
whose liberality we trust to see, ere long, some of the
museums of the town, probably that of the Mechanics'
Institute, of which Mr. Collison has for several years
been a director, enriched by an accession of a portion
of the interesting group, part of which have been
obtained at some risk, and by no slight exertions en the
part of Captain Gallilee and his crew. The chief curi-
osity is the preserved fur of a monstrous species of seal
called the sea lion, that of a male, measuring 10 feet 6 in.
from the nose to the tip of the hind flippers. It is 2i
feet in diameter about the middle, and was, when living,
7 feet in girth; it weighed 10 cwt., and was caught on
a guano island named Shag island. The difference
between this species and the common seal differs
less in the size of the animal than in its form ; for
whereas, in the former, the fore flippers are inserted at
about the same relative distance from the head as are
the shoulders of a dog, in the sea lion they project from
the broadest part of the body, about half-way between
the head and the tail. The extraordinary length of
neck thus obtained enables the creature to rear a lofty
head out of water, and cn the approach of a boat to
the plate where they domicile, about a hundred of them
will approach in battle array, and surround the vessel,
but at a respectful distance ; they utter a hideous
howl, somewhat resembling the roar of a lion, but dying
assay in a dissatisfied and subdued grunt ; when excited
they bristle up the long hair on their necks, which as-
sumes the form of a lion's inane. They are, however,
usually inoffensive to men, and seem desirous of lead-
ing a peaceable life, excepting when attacked, when
the female retreats, but the male offers resistance.
The flippers of the specimen brought home by Captain
Gallilee are each armed with three claws, and webbed,
the web being a foot and a half in length, and
the total expansion about a yard. Their speed in the water
far surpasses that of a steamer. The full-grown lion has
four tusks and a good mouthful of teeth. This lion was
found with the lioness and a whelp lying asleep en the
beach; the sire and son were secured, and the dam only
made her escape after receiving a heavy pickaxe wound
in her head ; the lion might also have escaped had
he not shown fight ; he was killed by the crew with
pickaxes, and his carcase sold to the seal fishers. The
whelp is four feet in length. Captain Gallilee has also
brought a guanocoe, a land animal, from the same
country, being a species of wild deer ; also penguins
and shags, from which the guano is produced ; and a
sutra, an amphibious animal of the otter species,
from the River Plate, a splendid collection of insects,
and a great number of curiosities in the shell
line. Re also sent home in the Britannia, to a
friend in Lincolnshire, a specimen of the chicha,
or " flying child," a feathered bird of very extra-
ordinary appearance; the spread of irs wings from tip to
tip is six feet, and each wing has two spurs attached to
the joints; they are very sharp, about three inches long,
and are used by the creature with amazing dexterity in
attacking and tearing to pieces its prey, and also in self-
defence. It has something of the appearance of a wild
turkey. The turkey-buzzard is also an inhabitant of these
parts; several were seen by Captain who made at-
tempts to shoot them, but without success. He has
brought home some of the feathers of one of them
which, when living, stood four feet high, and the spread
of whose wings was eight feet. The grey ostrich is
also seen in flocks ; Captain Gallilee encountered
one day a group of about fifty ; the whole host took
to their legs excepting one, a male, who covered their
escape ; turning his back upon them when at a distance
of about 100 yards from Captain Gallilee and his com-
panions, he approached with the speed of a racehorse to
within about 20 yards, and stood in a threatening and
defensive attitude. An attempt was then made to bring
him down, but without eff,ct, as he flew like the wind
after his companions.—Hull Adveitiser.

We understand that the Right Hon. the Earl of
Mount Edgecumbe has determined upon having a fine
yacht built to bear his flag as Commodore of the Royal
Western Yacht Club.

FOREIGNERS' EVANGELICAL SOCIETY.—On Thurs-
day a public meeting was held at the Queen's Concert
Room, Hanover-square, to adopt measures for the for-
mation of a society for the benefit of foreigners resident
in England. Lord Ashley presided, and was supported
by Chevalier Bunsen, the Prussian Minister; Sir Cul-
ling Eardley Smith, Bart. ; the Rev. Edward Bicker-
steth, M.A., rector of Watton, Herts ; Professor Mars-
den, Professor La, Harpe, and other clergymen and
gentlemen. The Chairman, in opening the proceedings,
remarked that there were in England upwards of
100,000 foreigners who were destitute of religious
privileges ; for such persons it was intended that the
society should be formed. In order to carry out its
objects a committee of 50 gentlemen would be formed—
missionaries would be appointed, who would preach
throughout the country in various languages—religious
works would be distributed—and other means would
subsequently be adopted in the order they might suggest
themselves to the committee. His Lordship urged with
much force the claims of the proposed society on public
support ; and Chevalier Bunsen, in speaking of the
mighty results it was likely to accomplish, promised that
he would cordially co-operate with the committee. The
Rev. Edward Bickersteth moved a resolution, affirming
the usefulness of the proposed society, and suggesting
its immediate formation. He took occasion to remark
that it was in no respect connected with the Evangelical
Alliance—a body which had recently been holding its
meetings in the metropolis ; but that it was an inde.
pendent association, founded upon a scheme which was
quite novel in the history of religious societies. The
resolution, having been seconded by Professor La Harpe,
was unanimously adopted. Several addresses were de-
livered ; and a vote of thanks to the chairman, which
the Noble Lord briefly acknowledged, closed the pro-
ceedings.
FATAL ACCIDENT ON THE SOUTH-EASTERN RAIL..
WAY.—A very distressing accident occurred yesterday
morning at the Reigate station, which has resulted irs
the death of the guard of the Dover up-mail train arriv-
ing in London at 430 A.M. It appeared that the de-
ceased, a fine young man, named Frederick Elsdon, had
been suffering from a severe attack of diarrhoea through-
out the journey from Dover, and upon seeing the Reigate
station, after applying the break, he began to descend
from his seat on the roof of the carriage, wishing to
reach the passengers' retiring room, which is on the
down side of the line; he descended on the wrong side
of the carriage in order to cross the railway more spee-
dily. While in the act of doing so his leg came in con-
tact with the dwarf wall running between the " up" and
" down" lines. The force of the concussion caused a
compound fracture of the thigh hone, and the unfortu-
nate man falling at the same instant, his lower extremi-
ties became entangled between the wheels, and he was
thus dragged several yards before the train was brought
to a stand. When picked up the poor fellow's legs were
found to be dreadfully crushed, several of his toes were
cut off ; his left ankle was dislocated, and the sole of the
same foot almost completely torn away. Notwithstand-
ing the frightful nature of his injuries,
in a carriage and conveyed to Guy's the unfortunate
roan retained perfect sensibility. He was at once placed
Hospital, but, after
lingering in a state of extreme torture during the morn-
ing, he expired at half-past one o'clock. A dense fog
prevailed when the accident occurred, and it is supposed
that the deceased did not observe the dwarf wall against
which he struck in the first instance. The unfortunate
man has left a widow and one child to mourn his loss.
The accident caused much alarm and excitement among
the passengers in the train.
STROOD CATTLE FAIR.—THIS fair was held on
Monday, at which 3,501 lambs were penned, and out of
that number 2,696 were sold at an average of 225. 6d. to
235. For horses, cows, and calves, and pigs, there was
little demand, although the supply was limited, the
numbers being, horses, 42 ; cows and calves, 14 ; pigs, 11.