Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1857-01-05

of Baltimore, lectured on Friday evening las'.
Subject: /" HABITS and Instincts Oh insects.
Commencing with some remarks upon the
wonderful beauty and variety OIL INC insect
kingdom. the lecturer entered upon his Illus
trations for the evening, beginning with the
common house fly, that everlasting plague
of old and young, living or dying, waking or
sIeenino." and proceeded to give an interest.
inc description Of the structure and habits of
this impudent little varlet. Though great
ANNOYANCE, the fly is yet useful in Kidding the
world of carrion with great rapidity, and thus
prevented pestilence. The prOdigious fecund-
ity of the fly was noticed, and the estimate
was made that the progeny from a single fly,
withiits multiplicatiOns, amounted to over two
millions yearly.
The theory that hies, in their march across
a ceiling, back dOwnwards, sustain themselves
by the suction of the foot upon the wall, was
cOntroverted by the fact that les walk up
the sides of an exhausted receiver with the
same facility as the walls of room. How
they sustain themselves upon the wall, is yet
in doubt, though it seemed probable that they
were enabled to do it by some viscOus matter
upon the foot.
The lecturer closed with an amusing but
uncOmplimentary notice of the musquito
" iuxuriating on the purple food of saint and
sinner, and quoted, with telling effect upon
the rlsibes of the audience, from Bryant's
poem upon that insect
This evening DR.. Kohl will lecture on tho
" History of American Geography"
CIRCUIT COURT The Court was engaged,
on Saturday, with the case of Walker as
Smith, which has been under its attention for
several days. 1t involves the question whe-
Their a prior assignee, for valuable considera-
ton, of certain Virginia military land war
rants, who failed to file in the General Land
Office of the United States his assignment be
tore a subsequent assignment to Smith, shall
be set aside In favor Of such subsequent as.
signee The prior assignment was filed many
years before the passage of an act of Congress
under which the issue Of scrip upon the war
rant was authorized. For plaintiff, MesSrs
Lawrence and Davidge for defendant, Mr..
Carlisle.
The Court, on Saturday, refused the rule for
mandamus on the Secretary Of the Treasury,
prayed by Hon. Richard w. Thompson We
understand the case will be taken UP to the
Supreme Court -Inteitigencer.
HE NATIONAL DEMOCRATIC ASSOCIATION
a meeting of this club, on Saturday night
last, the following resolution was passed, we
learn
"RcSolrcI, That the National Democratic
Association, having organized for the purpose
OF disseminating and perpetuatng the great
principles Of Democracy, dissvOws for itself
rs an Association, either the right or incira-
ton to make preparations or appoint a Chief
Marshal On the occasion Of the Inauguration
Of the President elect, believing that upon
such an occasion the voice of the rh0Le DEM
ocrGtIC people resident or temporarily soiourn-
ing here should be respected and their wishes
consulted.
NATIONAL THEATRE The Ravels have
come, and all Washington is ogog to sec them.
First class pantOmime is an entertainment
Vouchsafed to us but rarely, and to be priced
accordingly. Our readers will bear in mind
that this troupe, which is so extensive as to
Dear dividing, is now united-Gabriel RaycI,
the unrlyalled, having returned to the com
Pany with all the strength Of his great South
ern troupe.
TIE PAEODI AND STEAKOsCH TROUPE ap-
pears In this city on the 9TH of January,
"wednesday next,) and not upon the 18th, as
stated In some of the papers. On this occa
sion Mr.. StrakoSch presents great accessions
of talent to his heretofore most able troupe.
His concerts always have succeeded here, and
1t needs 10 prophet to predict yet greater tri-
umphs tor them with the enlarged attractions
offered.
CRIMINAL COURT.-Saturday, WIN. Robins
was tried for larceny and acquitted Robert
&c, and sentenced to imprisonment in the
county Jail, was tried and convicted of an as
sault on an officer, and two weeks added to his
term of imprisonment.
GIVEN UP.-This morning Bill Burke, a
cOlOred man who was charged with several
cases of assault and battery, gave himself ND
to the officers of the Seventh police district,
who have been seeking for him several weeks,
md he uuo . ol Ill G. =
There are four charges against him, one Of
them serious
LOSr OR SToLEy.-Last week a cOlOred man
picked up, as he said, set OF new lace cur
tains while passing along the street An off,
Ger finding them in his possession, and looking
at the circumstance as suspicious took the
curtains and deposited them at Justice tod.
dard's office, where the owner can see them.
FUEL There are 10 arrivals of wood or
coal at the wharves since Christmas Hickory
is selling for 81 % per cord oak, Sc and
90. 90; pine, $3.50 and So per cord. Red
ash coal, S6.75 and 81 per ton; white ash,
Sc so -
CORRECTIoS.-It was not David 2 Kurtz,
but another person by the name of Kurtz who
forfeited his bail at the last term Of the Grim
inal Court.
1HE oTRAkOSCH Grand VI era and Concert
Company will visit Alexandria and Freder-
icksburg
WATCH RETURSs.-Jan. 3-Three dodgers
accommodated and dismissed. Jan. Alive
dodgers, but no cases for trial
EyOn tho 18th ult., Miss Narcissa Burn
ham, residing with the family of Col. Sublett
at Austin, Texas, was found dead in her bed
from an overdose of chloroform -bicb aha \ o6
been in the habit of taking nightly, for the
purpose OF inducing sleep.
SAUL AMONG THE PROPHETS The London
TIMES. In an articIa 6ercelv dennnci atom nf