male Bailadors were seen engaged in a song and dance. They
were about eighteen inches apart, and alternately jumped two feet into
the air, alighting always in the same spot. As soon as one bird alighted
the other bird jumped up, their time being like clockwork in its
regularity, and each "accompanying himself to the tune of
'_to-le-do_'--'_to-le-do_'--'_to-le-do_,' sounding the syllable '_to_'
as he crouched to spring, '_le_' while in the air, and '_do_' as he
alighted." The performance was kept up for more than a minute, when the
birds found they were being watched, and made off.

Americanisms.

A few words current in the United States are being gradually adopted in
England. The number of new words coined in America is said to be very
small indeed, as compared with the number of fresh meanings which
certain words have been made to bear. Of the former "caucus"--a
political committee--and "Yankee" are examples. Of the latter "smart"
used for "clever," and "clever" for "amiable," are specimens. But even
among the different States of the Union, verbal peculiarities are found.
When the new Englander "guesses," the Western "calculates," and the
Southern "reckons," but these various terms are all meant in the one
sense--namely of thinking or supposing. In the New England States,
"ugly" is employed for "ill-natured," and "friends" for "relations."
Some of the words in vogue in the Middle States are survivals of the
original Dutch colonists--as "boss," an employer or manager, and
"loafer," a vagabond. As to the Western States, it has been amusingly
observed that "every prominent person has his own private vocabulary."
Like the Emperor Sigismund the Great, who was "above grammar," the
Western States folk are superior to dictionaries.

Peacock Pie.

On the tables of the squires and nobles was sometimes seen at Christmas
and other festive seasons a peacock pie, but so costly was the dish that
it was only the very wealthy who could face such extravagance. At one
end of the pie the peacock's head, in all its plumage and with beak
richly gilt, appeared above the crust, while at the other end the tail
with feathers outspread made a brave show. The dish, however, was
regarded more in the light of a superb ornament to the table, for it was
not very good eating.

The "Ironsides."

This epithet applied to the famous soldiers of Cromwell was at first
used as a nickname of Cromwell himself. Mr. Picton, in his well-known
life