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in Prob. 16.

'After

taking the kings, queens, and knaves out of a pack of cards, the rest were divided into three heaps. The number of pips contained in the second heap was found to be 4 times the square of the number in the first heap; and had the third heap contained 5 more pips than it did, the number in it would have been exactly half of what the first and second heap contained. Required the number of pips in each heap.-Ans. 6; 144; and 70.'"

ENTOMOLOGICAL

AND

MICROSCOPIC RECREATIONS.

NOTE. A very few specimens are here given, to shew the method in which he kept a key, or index, to the objects in his entomological and microscopic cabinets; also some of his notes. It may be observed that he has marked two of the following specimens (?), as doubting whether he had named them scientifically.

In his "Diary," alluding to the subject, he says, "I have not yet got many insects this season; am sadly puzzled in naming them, by books."-ED.

ENTOMOLOGICAL SPECIMENS.

Golden

No. 21, No. 22.- Chrysopa Perla. eyed Fly. It is mentioned as having gold eyes, green netted wings, and as being rather common near London, (Ins. Trans. 191, 335,) all which agrees with my specimens; for they were flying about a raspberry plant and privet, the night I caught them, in considerable quantities. In a recent number of the Entomological Magazine, it is said they have an unpleasant smell when caught, which I perceived.

No. 29.- Timarcha Teneboocora? I found this between Mitcham and Croydon, hanging to a piece of grass, which agrees with its name, "catchweed beetle." It looks like the fig. p. 8, Ins. Mis., and has remarkable feet; but I did. not see it eject any red fluid.-See Ins. Trans. p. 387.

Nos. 47, 48.- Arctia Caja-Phalana Caja of Linnæus. Tiger-moths, male and female,

caught in Islington on the same day. I have supposed, by the antennæ, the one is male and the other female. Alph. Insec. p. 39.

Nos. 33, 35.- Cetonia Aurata? Rose Chaffers. Caught amongst roses in S. Rosling's garden at Peckham. Where are the white spots mentioned in Ins. Arc. 251 ?

MICROSCOPIC SPECIMENS.

Fern Seeds [with a drawing].—The fruit of ferns is deposited on the underside of the leaf; they are very beautiful, but their uses are not very numerous; they are used as firing, and the poor people make soap of their ashes. Ferns belong to the twenty-fourth class, Cryptogamia.

Farina of Mallows [with a drawing]. — The common mallow, Malva sylvestris, belongs to the sixteenth class, Monadelphia, and the order Polyandria. There are two other genera, Marsh Mallow, Athera; Tree Mallow, Lavatera.

NOTE. The study of entomology is of very ancient date. Hippocrates wrote a work on insects, which is quoted by Pliny; and Aristotle (300 years B.C.) made insects his particular study. It has been

observed, that what Aristotle wrote on the subject is full as accurate as any thing which has since followed. King Solomon was skilled in both botany and entomology, as well as in other sciences. It is said that he spoke of trees, from the cedar-tree even to the hyssop; he spoke also of beasts and birds, and of fowls, and of creeping things, and of fishes. It may be remarked, that Solomon's great skill in natural history, and other sciences, was given to him by the Almighty, because he had prayed, not for wealth or honour, but for wisdom and knowledge, that he might be qualified to fill the station to which he was called.

The young student, whose literary remains are presented to the reader in the foregoing pages, was concerned to become a Christian more than a philosopher; and, in his pursuit after knowledge, he kept in mind, that the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and to depart from evil a good understanding. May the youth who reads these pages be like minded! and thus become enabled, in sincerity, to adopt the early aspirations of one, in whose experience both natural endowments and acquired abilities were made subservient in promoting the best interests of our holy religion, and the eternal happiness of the souls of those, amongst whom, in due time, it was her calling to labour, in the work of the Gospel. - ED.

A PRAYER FOR WISDOM.

MAKER supreme, of heav'n and earth,
Of sea, and air, and sky;

O! Thou who gav'st to all things birth,
Lord, hear me when I cry.

To Thee, invisible, I'll pray,
Thou only righteous God ;
And Thee, omnipotent, obey,
And fear Thy dreadful rod.

Riches or life, I do not crave,

Nor any transient things;

The one has wings; and in the grave
Are laid the proudest kings.

'Tis heavenly wisdom I admire,
'Tis this is my request:

Oh! grant, great God, this my desire,

And I am fully blest.

Wisdom to worship thee aright,

To understand thy will,

To do my duty in thy sight,
And thy commands fulfil.

That when my fleeting sands are run,
And death shall set me free;

When the short thread of life is spun,

My soul may fly to Thee.

*

*

CATHARINE PAYTON, (ÆT. XIX.)

Afterwards PHILLIPS.

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