, 1877-01-27
CURIOUS CLIPPINGS.

The report of the ROYAL Geological
Suciety of Ireland states that "durlng
he year the Gardens sustained heavy
loss in the death of the beautiful lioness
familiariy called Old Girl. She was
born in the Gardens. of South African
stock. on September 8. 1859 and died
on October Z. 1875, after six weeks of
prostration from chronic bronchitis.
During her long career she presented
the Gardens with "a cubs. OF which she
actually reared so. losing only four.
This is a feat unprecedented in the an
nails of menageries and gardens. She
was an animal OF very high spirit.
although very gentle. and was admitted
by judges to be the handsomest lioness
they had ever seen. Her offspring not
only added to the attractions O. the Gar
dens. but the judcious sale of portion
of them brought 81. 400, in cash. to the
Society. The closing weeks of her uses
full life were marked by a touching Incl
dent worthy of being recorded. The
carnivora, when in health. have no OBJ
lection to the presence of rats in their
cages: on the contrary. they rather well
come th' m as relief to the mOnotony
of existence, which constitutes the chief
trial of II wild animal in confinement.
In illness the case is different; for the
angrateful rats begin TO nibble the toes
of the lord of the forest before his death
and add considerably to his discomfort.
To save the lioness from this annoy
ance. a fine little tan terrier was placed
In her cage, who was, at first, received
,x,1t -, IL rvxyI. h1t v,han "a f1rpf
rat appeared, and the lioness saw the
little dog toss him in 10 the air, catch
ing him with professional skill across
the loins with snap as be came down
she began to understand what the ter
rier was for. She coaxed him to her
side, folded her paw around him, and
each night the little creature slept at
the breast OF the .icness, embodied with
her paws. aud watching that his natural
enemies did not disturb the rest of his
mistress. The rats bal bad time during
those six weeks Land and Vdter.
Incredible as the story may appear of
ratsremoving hens eggs by one fell
low lying on his back and erasping
tightly his ovoid burden with bis fore
paws. whilst his comrades drag him
away by the tail. we have no reason to
disbelieve. knowing as we do. that they
will carry eggs from the bottom to :he
top of the house. lifting them from
stair to stair. the first pushing them up
on its hind. and the second lifting them
with its fore lngs. They will extract the
cotton from flask of florence oil. dip
ping i'll their long tails. and repeating
the mannavre until they have consumed
every drop. We have found Jumps of
sugar in deep drawers at distance OF
thirty feet from the place where the
petty larceny was committed; and a
friend saw rat mount table on which
drum of figs was placed, and straight
way tip it over. scattering its contents
on the floor beneath. where score Of
expectant brethren sat watching for the
windfalI.- Quarterly Rerieso.
The yew trees of Britain are of won>
derful longevity. One lived at Foun-
tain's Abbey, Ripon, for 1.2CO years;
there are some yews at Crowhurst. in
Surrey. 400; a yew at FoniiRal. Perth
shire, $500 or 2, 600; a yew at Bradbnrn,
Kent, 3 600 and yew at Hedso, Bucks.
27 feet in diameter. 2. 800 years.