Punch (69.1875)

August 2P, 1875.] PUNCH, OR THE LONDON CHARIVARI. 77

NEWS FROM BOSHNIA.

hobtly before "six
o'clock on the
evening of Thurs-
day last an enor-
mous Aerolite fell
in a turnip-field in
the neighbourhood
of the Capital, not
fifty yards from
a merry pic-nic
party. The report
made by the fall
was so violent that
no fewer than
sixty-eight highly
respectable inhabi-
tants had the drum
of the ear nearest
to the field where
the phenomenon occurred, broken by the
concussion. All the Police who could
be spared from duty; with the Fire
Brigade, were immediately despatched
to the spot; but they proved insuffi-
cient to surround the _ hissing stone,
which was so deeply" imbedded in the earth that a powerful engine from an adjoining ginger-beer
manufactory had to be employed before it could be dislodged. "When the flames had been ex-
tinguished by the Brigade, the aerolite was at once conveyed, gaily decked with ribbons, on a dray
drawn by twenty-four horses, to the Opening Meeting of the British Association for the Advancement
of Science, where it was received with open arms and boundless enthusiasm. It is sixteen times the
size of the famous meteoric stone which fell from the tail of the great Comet in the Archipelago, in
1796; and presents the appearance of a gigantic fossilised plum-pudding, numerous stalagmites of
igneous feldspar being distributed over the entire surface.

"We have been favoured (writes the deputy Editor of the Boshnian Bedouin) with a private inspection
of a most remarkable vegetable production, in the shape of a gigantic Cucumber, which had attained
the unusual dimensions of six feet four inches in length, and two feet in girth._ It has since been
removed, in a covered conveyance, kindly lent for the occasion by a sympathising member of our
Yegetarian Society, to the Town Hall for public exhibition ; and we are happy to be in a position to
state that negotiations have been set on foot .with the proprietor of this interesting abnormal growth
of the vegetable creation, which there is every reason to believe are likely to result in satisfactory
arrangements being concluded for pickling and presenting it, enclosed in a handsome glass jar, to the
Museum belonging to the Greengrocers' Company.

At an early hour yesterday morning, a prodigious Mushroom (Munchausenius'incredibilis) was
gathered in a field adjoining the farmhouse recently in the occupation of the Bailiff of the Right Hon.
the Eabl of Gbassehdale. Owing to its amazing size, this fungus had just before afforded ample
shelter to an intelligent little fellow, three years and a half old, who, with his attendant, had rambled
out before breakfast from the cottage where he was staying to recover from the effects of hooping
cough, and been overtaken by a sudden shower of rain. The Mushroom yielded six dozen of excellent
ketchup, and has been admirably photographed by our rising young townsman, Mb. Montgomeby
Cleck.

There is now on view in the shop-window of Me. Diamond Smith, plumber and glazier, 184, High
Street, a hailstone which fell in the storm that burst over this town and neighbourhood on the 30th of
last month. The stone is a perfect rhomboid in shape, and measures four inches and a fraction in a
diagonal direction from the apex to the base. It was picked up by a poor boy, not a stone's throw
from the magnificent range of conservatories Messes. Wood and Stone are now engaged in erecting
for Sib Tavistock Ropsley, Bart., M.P. for the Northern Division of the County.

Medical Monomania.

NOTE BY A COCKNEY
NATURALIST.

The common blackbeetles (Sca-
rahceus niger), which so abund-
antly infest the culinary regions
of Cockaigne, are alleged to be
agreeable, although profuse, in
flavour, provided they be deli-
cately larded before crimping,
and then fricasseed or simply
fried. Care should specially be
taken not to injure their antennse,
which, when crisp with egg and
breadcrumbs, exquisitely tickle
the palate of the gourmet, and
provoke him to the liveliest of
gastronomic feats. There lurks
in vulgar minds a savage pre-
judice against these interesting
insects, by reason, very likely, of
the popular impression that at
times they have been manufac-
tured into Soy. But this may be-
assumed to be mere idle supersti-
tion, and Soteb, the great chef,
wisely set his face against it>
remarking, as he did so, " Honi
Soy qui mal y pense."

Among the warblers which
abound in the vicinity of the
Metropolis, one of the most inte-
resting is the Little Mudlark
(Alauda Greenwichiensis), whose

Elaintive cry may nightly be
eard upon the shore of the river,
where these little creatures con-
gregate in flocks, and pick up
any grub which they may chance
to meet with.

Doubts have been entertained
by sundry Cockney Naturalists
whether the pyramids of oyster-
shells, which in the early part of
August used to be noticed in the
streets, should be regarded as a
proof of the migratory habits of
the mollusc. That the oyster is a
sluggard and objects to leave his
bed seems pretty generally ad-
mitted; but that he is endowed
with the power of locomotion
has, fortunately for science, been
placed beyond a doubt. Whether
oysters shed their shells when
they are crossed in love is a point
on which the Naturalist is still
somewhat in the dark.

Mb. Punch has lately received several anti-vaccination pamphlets, which he has known what to do
with. These treatises, however, should not have been presented to Mr. Punch. They should have
been sent in to a competition for the Colney Hatch Prize Essay. The Prize to be awarded by the
most dangerous lunatic in the Asylum.

The Londoner's Diary.

(For August.)

Monday. — Got up at nine
o'clock. Lounged to the Park.
No one there. Went to bed at
twelve.

Tuesday.—Got up at ten o'clock.
Walked to the House of Com-
mons. Closed. Went to bed at
eleven.

Wednesday.—Got up at eleven
o'clock. Looked in at Pbince's.
Deserted. Went to bed at
ten.

Thursday.—Got up at twelve
o'clock. Strolled to the Club.
Shut up for repairs. Went to
bed at nine.

Friday.—Got up at one o'clock.
Stayed at home. Dull. Went
to bed at eight.

Saturday.—Got up at five a.m.
Went out of Town at six.

vox. ixix.

i