, 1859-12-29

Two French natural;sts, n. u. Tier and Gre.
wis, hare announced the discorery OF fossil
hedgehog IN the soil Of the Island Ratonneau,
Marytilles. This is the first instance On record
Of tits animal in fossil state. The specimen
found is about one third larger than any Of the.
largest species, now living, IN Africa and India.
It Is proposed to call It 1lysterix Major on this
account.
The entire Census Of Great Britain WAS taken
in 1851, in single day, and the reports we're
collected, compared and pubti.hed by the Cor
e.nment within three months. This was ac-
complished By the division Of The whole country
into districts 20 small That man could colecs
the statistics in leas than 1 day. The number
Of these districts was oyer thirty thousand,
and the blanks previously prepared BY the Gov
crnment weighed fittytwo tons
Al late meeting Of the English Scientific:
Association, it K4s stated that about four thou
saa4 deaths occur annually in England from
smallpox. and according to tic best estimate,
three Thousand nine hundred aud aincsy Of these
lires might be sared By vaccination. :
GnASp AFFA1E.-EThe Flore9ce correspondent
of the Newark IN. ii Aiuerfiser gircs an ac~
count of tbs graad bali giEen on Monday. Nor
periale {noa Poggio Nationally.
to carry out the democratic system which has
obtained in the government Of the country.
The introduction Of tho change in social affairs
is thus described:
The music, how enliyening-the dance, how
animnted!. but what novel scene for Florence
and in psince! Here the titled ladiea Of the
ministers aud the legations nre dancing on the
/ same aoor With the wives and daughters Of law
ye1s and merchants Not In tie same set
though. Oil and winter wont uix, do what you
/ will get The noble ladies' are not condescend-
ipg-that would be insultiug-they are afabte
| and kind. Still the pretty 6ourgfoise prefers
/ tim fFrAdnCu of haF Eet EE% will SeAE
| like. Long hnbits Of awe ut superiors cannot
be shaken off in the dance.
| "One hour after midnight. Rarou Ricasoli-
chief Of the Provisional government. arrives
xjth his SUITE. Ills appearance is the signal for
the singing patriotic hymn to the adopted
voices in the great ball below. The hymn and
| music were composed for the occasion, but the
poetry is hardly worth translation. though up
propriate and effectiye-ns Was also the music
for tile occasion. On making the tour Of the
apartments-oyer fifty rooms were lighted up
one heard English spoken everywhere; in fact
it seems as if half that Tast assembly was com.
posed 0: English and Americans. Among the
laster were decidedly tue bellies Of the ball some
newly arrived young American beauties, who
seem greatly to enjoy the admiration they ex'
cited. Certainly most OF the beauty there wa:
"The Italians dance better than any nation
eyen the French admit this. The real poetry
Of motion ia in every curve they make Bu'
the most graceful on this occasion were tbs
young American residents, who hare learned tt
dance here, md add to the refinement Of ii.
Florentine step the Goer proportions Of NOR
delicate feet than the fair natives can boast /
is not surprising, in view Of the number o
American beauties here this season, that Italian
should think orr countrywomen the handsomes
in the world. When m Italian is handsome i
rare picture in these days-she is surprisins',
beautiful. though always Of the national type
Only at Venice does one find the Titan beant,
these poetic attributes are SO much admired ii
| 1tn1r