The Sun.
London, England, 1848-12-07 00:00:00

WATERS.

These shoals were alive with myriads of inverte-
brated animals, and crowds of sharks hovered about,
feeding upon the larger forms. There were also nume-
rous other animals belonging to those remarkable
groups which I have attempted to describe in some
detail. Imagine, then, one of the monstrous ani-
mals, a Plesiosaurus, some sixteen or twenty feet
long, with a small wedge-shaped crocodilian head, a
long arched serpent-like neck, a short compact bady, pro-
vided with four large and powerful paddles, almost deve-
loped into hands, an animal not covered with brilliant
scales, but with a black slimy skin. Imagine for a moment
this creature slowly emerging from the muddy banks, and
half walking half creeping along, making its way towards
the nearest water. Arrived at the water, we can under-
stand from its structure that it was likely to exhibit
greater energy. Unlike the crocodile tribe, however, in
all its proportions, it must have been equally dissi-
milar in habit. Perhaps, instead of concealing itself
in nand or among rashes, it would swim at once boldly
and directly to the attack. Its enormous neck stretched out
to its full length, and its tail acting as a rudder, the power-
ful and frequent strokes of its four large paddles would at
once give it an impulse, sending it through the water at
a very rapid rate. When within reach of its prey we
may almost fancy that we see it drawing back its long
neck as it depressed its body in the water until the
strength of the muscular apparatus with which this neck
was provided, and the great additional impetus given by
the rapid advance of the animal, would combine to pro.
duce a stroke from the pointed head which few living
animals could resist. The fishes, including perhaps
even the sharks, the larger cuttlefish, and innumerable
inhabitants of the sea, would form an easy prey to
this monster. But now let us see what goes on in the
deeper abysses of the ocean, where a free space is given
for the operations of that fiercely carnivorous marine
reptile, the Ichthyosaurus. Prowling about at a great
depth, where the reptilian structure of its lungs and
the bony apparatus of the ribs would allow it to
breathe, we may fancy we see this strange animal,
with its enormous eyes directed upwards, and glar-
ing like globes of fire. Its length is some thirty or
forty feet, and it has paddles and a tail like a
shark. Its whole energies are fixed on what is going
on above, where the Plesiosaurus or some giant shark is
devouring its prey. Suddenly striking with its short
but compact paddles, and obtaining a powerful impetus
by flapping its large tail, the monster darts through the
water at a rate which tho eye can scarcely follow
towards the surface. The vast jaws, lined with
formidable rows of teeth, soon open wide to
their full extent ; the object of attack is ap-
proached, is overtaken. With a motion quicker than
thought the jaws are snapped together, and the work
is done. The monster,
becoming gorge], floats lan-
guidly near the surface, with a portion of the top of its
head and its nostrils visible, like an island covered with
black mud, above the water. Such scenes as these must
have been every thy enacted during the many ages when
the waters of the ocean were spread over what is now
land in the eastern hemisphere, and when the land then
adjacent provided the calcareous mud now forming the
fins.—Ansteds Picturesque Sketches of Creation.

THE GAME-LAWS AGAlN.—Whittering parish, near
Stamford, this week falls in for a burthen consequent
Upon the laws which preeect wild animals for the sport
of the privileged few. A woman named Barrett, wife
of a labourine man, hitherto said to be of irreproachable
character, and who was a teacher at Whittering Sunday-
school, his applied at the Union board for relief for
herself and children during the confinement of her
husband in Peterborough gaol, whither he has been
sent by the magistrates acting in St. Martin's, Stamford,
charged with having taken up three traps which had
betel set by one et. the Marquis of- Exeter's keepers to
ca't's rabbits. The woman, when questioned, declared
that no g2aie was found upon him, and that in conse-
quence Le hag been committed for trial at the sessions
charged with stealing the trap: she added that bail
was effered f r him, but refused. It is sug-
gested he a ece:resi-on&nt that a rather curieus
document tni ,!-,t be obtained, if some independ.-nt
:ember of Parliament would move in the House of
Commons fur a return of the convictions by the magis-
trates ec.intr, in St. Martiu's, Stamford, of persons
aniseed befere there with poaching on the Marquis of
Exeler's est,te.,. Of course a material item of tee re-
turn should be the cat to the county of each conviction,
and it m ',el:L. add to tl:e singularity of the doeumsat if it
war shown how messy per score of these eccu'ed are
diseherged -A riot guilty, and e hat was the form and
weight ed evieen:e against the rest,—Stanford Mercury.
MELANCHOLY AND FATAL ACCIDFNT.—OD Sun-
day evening a your woman, neared Marglret )6alcolm,
-residing in Cestlehilt, met her death in South Gray's
Close, Iligh-street, in a very sudden and distressing
manner. About twenty minutes past eight o'clock she,
with two con,onnionq, left the United Industrial School,
about the middle of that close, and bearing an umbrella,
was proceeding up the close and passieg an old and high
building, when as large stone, loosened by the stormy wind
or rain, fell on her bead, and so fractured her skull that
it caused immediate death. Fortunately both her com-
panions escaped, although a quantity of rubbish fell at
the same time, and shortly after several other stones
gave way, and some passers-by had a narrow escape.
Tke body of the unfortunate deceased was carried to the
-school room ; she was a, monitress, and very much liked
by her pupils and acquaintances. On the circumstances
being reported at the Police- office, several constables
were sent to-prevent people passing up and down, until
the state of the building can be ascerteined.—Caledonian
Iticrcury.
OPIUM IN AUiTRALIA.—Recent accounts from the
antipodes announce the fact t; at the cultivation of opium
has been census( need in the district of Western Austraiia
with success of no mean amount, and a prospect of an
important feature arising thereby et no distant period
in the growing trade of our colonial empire in that pert
of the world. The quality is reported to be very high.
ECCLESIASTICAL COMMISSION. BISHOPRIC OF
GLOUCESTER AND BRISTOL.—The evidence in the case
of the Rev. Mr. Richards, the incumbent of Horfield, has
been published at large. It has been seen that there is
evidence that Lord Melbourne entered into an under-
standing with Bishop Allen, that the valuable leases should
be allowed to run out and go to augment the revenues of the
Church; that the estimated value of the Horfield tithes
and estates are 3,0001. a year; but that the incumbent
has only 801. a year, besides 60/. allowed by Govern-
ment for doing duty at the barracks, near Bristol;
that consequently, the incumbent and his curate have,
on the average 1401. a year; and that the Bishop has
neither continued his predecessor's customary annual
payment of 5/.; nor done anything for the schools of the
parish; that his Lordship has an income which averaged
6,400/, on the last septennial calculation, and will on
an aearage amount to at least 5,700/. a- year in future,
besides his palace, and several valuable commendarns, the
amount of which is net stated, but which would pro-
bably be underrated at 2,000/. a-year besides. It is
under these circumstances that the Bishop proposes
to renew the lives, instead of allowing the lease to de-
pend on one, which is expected to drop from month to
month. To prevent this catastrophe, the commissioners
have agreed to pay the Bishop 11,5001., which might
otherwise have been employed for the general good of
the Church.—Ow/ten/ma -Journal.
CAuTroN.—The public, particularly officers in-the
navy, should be on their guard against a system of fraud
which is now attempted to igb carried on by, we under-
stand, a regularly organised gang of swindlers, who have
an office where the materials for cheating are ready cut
and dried. Information is obtained from old Navy
Lists and other sources, and letters are written to offi-
cers, soliciting loans of money or contributions, pur-
porting to be from some old officer, now in distress, who
served with them or under them at such and such a
period, in such and such a ship, as the case may be—
the letter detailing, in all cases, an affecting case of
distress, and containing a printed copy, filled up, of a
broker's warrant to distrain, if the rent should not
be paid on or before such a day; with a schedule of
the furniture in the house. We hare one of these
Precious epistles before us, with the broker's in-
clding osure, received by a Captain in the Navy, re-
Iforged) of the surgeon, with whom he served in the West
ndies, and whom he well knew and respected, soliciting
51--and it was a narrow chance that he had not for-
warded the money. The gallant officer, however, told
the circumstance to a friend—inquiry followed, when he
found that another_ gentleman in the service had received,
a similar epistle, word for word, with the exception of
the name of the ship, &c„ purporting to come from his
late purser, and which, inquiry, turned out to be an
attempt at fraud—ot
money ouwrnassehe drew the same conclu-
sions, and the
not forwarded. After this
exposure; we should think game will be up, and the
nest of scoundrels must teetetdo pme other means of
living. The letter was
20, 1848, and Anchor House
Kingston, Surrey, Nov.
Kingston," was the sworn apprais'er." ‘eitohn Rogers, oi
BISHOPWEARMOUTH RECTORY. vroYmouth Herald.
ceived from the Lord Bishop of the diner:sZlia:tter re-
J. Wright, in reply to the memorial from Suryalleric.lll*
parish, we learn that his Lordship had promoted the
Rev. J. Patrick Eden, Bishop Auckland (son-in-lase
to Lord Beougham), to the vacant rectory of Bishop-
wearmouth. The Reverend Gentleman is chaplain to
his Lordship, who pays him the compliment of saying
the lose to him will be a serious one. From the same
source we further learn that no portion of tho immense
revenues of Bishopwearmouth will be appropriated to
the benefit of its poorer neighbour, Sunderland. The
reason assigned is, that Bishopwearmouth itself requires
them all, the different chapels defendant on the rectory
being about to have their emoluments increased. It is
also stated, that after a careful investigation, in which
his Lordship had the assistance of the late rector's
steward and*veral gentlemen, iu Sunderland, the re-
ports as to the- revenues in question have been found to
have been greatly exaggerated. The Rev. Mr. Eden,
we understand, visited the rectory on Wednesday. The
:distribution is to be as follows :-2,0001. is to consti-
tute the income of the rector. St. Thomas' Church,
Bishopwearmouth, is to have 2001. St. Andrew's Dept-
ford, 1501. ; St. Mary's, Hylton, 100/. ; Trinity Church,
Ryhope, 1601. The surplus (1,4500 is to be funded, and
disposed of hereafter, according as the experience of
the working of the above arrangement during the next
three- years may point out to be most necessary.—Sun
Berland Herald.

TEE CAT AND TILE HAWK
hawk was to;a:ng in the nei:;;C),
Cotton in quest of prey, it dart.P.';
of anottage there, to eeiz.:, a bird that
a cage. In the absence of • the (_)e,•upi,-1.
a cat; which had hcen left sole f7tiardiA.
naises, nobly acted the part of a pr,'i.eonStable,
the poet aongster from the clutches of the feathered
burglar, executed summary puniAment the intruder
killing him on the spot, and left hig body lying on a
table as 7 a
to all other delibrpents.,--/Vorth Eri-
tish

ay I:A(4y, as a
00l of'lgiumtan
hn window

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ohcd withir
he cottzfze,

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