Punch (74.1878)

174 PUNCH, OR THE LONDON CHARIVARI. [Apbil 20, l«78.

A DAUGHTER OF EVE.

" now then, EfFIF, come along ! '

"Just let me Stop here for a Moment, Mamma. I want to get an Idea or two for Parker."

[Parker is the Lady's-Maid.

A CHAIR TO MEND.

When Peace, after due pro and con., was invited

In Congress's Chair at Berlin to preside,
Her foes were perturbed, but her lovers delighted

Her presidence welcomed with pleasure and pride.
But ere she sat down, to hair-splitting they got 'em,

And two of the disputants, mal d propos,
Kicking over her Chair, put their feet through the bottom,—

A delicate hint for the goddess to go!

" Gh ? " So hope the howlers who call on Bellona

To tumble her sword into Justice's scale ;
To them Peace's presence, in gentle persona,

Portends that their war-whoops are destined to fail.
But Punch, steady preacher of patriot wisdom,

Whilst wrath heats Society white at each end,
Braves Swelldom, and Mobdom, and Quackdom and Quizdom,

And declares Peace's Chair Wisdom can and should mend.

When Duty sets lips to the clarion of battle,

Or Honour's reveille wakens War's drum,
Then Valour must arm to the blast and the rattle,

While Peace sadly sighs, stands aloof, and is dumb.
But all except fools with a warm welcome greet her,

At length re-appearing War's horrors to end,
And, regretting the accident, warmly entreat her

To wait while her Chair we take measures to mend.

An Old Friend in a New Light.

A famous defendant, in a recent trial, said that she considered
" Madame Rosalie a pleasant and agreeable person, but she had a
habit of pressing for her money." Who but remembers the old
song :—

" Every one who knew her felt the gentle power
Of Rosalie—the Prairie flower !"

SCIENTIFIC NOMENCLATURE IN EXCELSIS.

The grand advantages of scientific description are precision and
accuracy. How perfectly these characteristics are illustrated in
Professor McCoy's description of the head of the Salmon lately
submitted for determination to that learned Professor of Melbourne
University ! How the well-known physiognomy of the Salmo salar
rises before the mind's-eye as one reads—

" The preopereulum shows the very constant peculiarity characteristic of
the true Salmon of having its lower limb very long, and making a distinct
(though blunted) angle with the vertical posterior margin. The nearly
semicircular posterior margin of the gill-cover, composed of the outer edges
of the operculum, suboperculum, and introperculum, is well marked, as in all
true Salmon, and contrasts strongly with the more rectilinear angulated form
in the other species of migratory Salmonoids. The very oblique upward and
backward extension of the lower margin of the operculum, making its greatest
antero-posterior dimension nearly in the middle of its vertical dimension, is a
good distinction of the Salmon from the allied species. It also presents the
large re-entering angle between the lower end of the operculum and its junc-
tion with the preopereulum, showing a hig-her exposure of the suboperculum
than in any species except the Salmon, and also shows the very oblique
upward and backward direction of the suboperculum characteristic of the
Salmon, and contrasting strongly with the Sea Trout and other allied
species."

It must be borne in mind that the point was to identify the fish
beyond possibility of mistake, as on this head turned the question
whether the true Salmon had or had not been acclimatised in
Tasmania. Who after reading this could possibly go wrong ?

About the Shape of it.

Things looking crooked, Salisbury, with care,
Strove with his Circular to set them square.
Squaring the Circular not being found
An easy job, Russia may yet come round,
With judgment weigh, and use, ere 'tis too late,
Circular arguments to put things straight.