old of a small part of his old establishment to try other methods
of making it a success.

"As to raising turkeys in that manner it will tail more disastrously
than the chicken business. Size and weight are wanted in turkeys; and
that reminds me," continued Mr. Knapp, "that the newspapers ought to
impress the country people with the necessity of improving their poultry
stock; breeding in and in is ruining poultry; every year the stock we
receive is deteriorating, and this is the cause. I could give you some
striking examples from my experience of forty years in the business.
Some years ago we poulterers thought that ducks were going to disappear
from bills of fare altogether; they were tasteless, worthless birds
which people avoided. On Long Island a farmer made experiments in
breeding with an old Muscovy drake, tough as an alligator, and the
common duck. The result was superb and has changed the whole duck
industry. If the farmers of Southern New Jersey, the sandy country best
suited to turkeys, would bring from the West a few hundred wild turkeys
we should have an immediate improvement. I see no such turkey now as we
had twenty years ago. The breast is narrow and the body runs to length;
it is all neck and legs, and can be bought by the yard. Rhode Island
sends us the best turkeys, but they are not what they used to be. If,
instead of attempting to beat nature at her own game, the rich men who
have money to spend would devote it to better breeding, there would be
an improvement. I do not yet despair of seeing immense farms wholly
devoted to raising better poultry than we yet have."

* * * * *

THE EMBRACE OF THE MANTIS.

Mr. Addison Ellsworth favors us with a transcript of a letter from Mr.
Albert D. Rust, of Ennis, Ellis County, Texas, describing a remarkable
exhibition of copulative cannibalism on the part of the mantis. The
ferocious nature of these strange insects is well known, and is in
striking contrast with the popular name, "praying mantis," which they
have gained by the pious attitude they take while watching for the flies
and other insects which they feed upon.

About sunrise, August 28, 1880, Mr. Rust's attention was attracted by a
pair of mantis, whether _Mantis religiosa_ or not, he was not sure, but
from the length of the body and the shortness of the wings he was
inclined to think them of some other species. The female had her arms
tightly clasped around the