they
usually break them; their presence may be tolerated for a few days, but by
the ensuing Sunday they are frequently destroyed, under the idea that they
bring bad luck, or prevent the coming of good fortune, as if in some way
offensive to the domestic deity of the hearth."

Here, then, we pause; some abler hand may, perhaps, be tempted to take up
the subject as we leave it, for there are yet gleanings, in the field, of
"Superstitions and Fables connected with animals," over which our leisure
has allowed us but lightly to pass; gleanings sufficient to reward the
industrious and the curious; or, it may even be, that we shall return,
some day, to this topic ourselves, time and materials permitting.

_Great Marlow, Bucks_. M.L.B.

* * * * *

THE GATHERER.

_Congreve Rockets_.--When the Congreve rockets were first introduced into
the navy, the admiral on the Brazil station proposed to exhibit to the
king, Don Juan VI., the effect of these formidable projectiles. His
majesty consented, and the whole court were accordingly assembled in the
balconies of the palace, at the Rio, for the purpose of witnessing the
spectacle. By some mishap, of very frequent occurrence in the early
history of these missiles, at the moment of firing the tube veered round,
and the rocket, instead of flying over to Praia Grande, took the opposite
direction, and fell and exploded in the great square, almost beneath the
windows of the palace. The consternation of the king was only equalled by
the mortification of the admiral, who immediately despatched an officer on
shore to explain the cause of the _contretemps_ to his majesty; and
offering to let off another, but the terrified monarch would not hear of
it. "I have a great respect," said he, "for my good allies, the English,
but after dinner they are absolutely fit for nothing;" an observation
which clearly indicated to what cause his majesty attributed the
unfortunate result of the exhibition.--_Monthly Magazine_.

* * * * *

_Prosperity of America_.--The United States of N. America posses an almost
undefinable extent of fertile uncultivated land--a highly industrious and
intelligent population of 13,000,000--the national debt will be paid this
year--and they have a large surplus revenue. That of 1831 was 27,700,000
Spanish dollars; the expenditure for all government purposes 14,700,000.

* * * *