DE OMNIBUS REBUS.

Globe, Volume III, Issue 200, 29 January 1875, Page 4

DE OMNIBUS REBUS.

Smythe was telling some friends about a wonderful parrot. “ Why,” said he, “that parrot cries ‘ stop thief ’ so naturally that every time I hear it I always stop. Now, hang it, what are you all laughing about?” A London paper of the 7th November last contains the following paragraph in reference to the King of Patagonia ; —“ From Paris, we learn that the deputies representing the Department of the Dordogne have presented an address to the Minister of Foreign Affairs, protesting against the arrest by an Argentine man-of-war, of M. Orelie Tonnens, while on his way to Patagonia. M. Tonnens is a French lawyer, who has procured his election as King by the Natives of Patagonia, and he was, when arrested, returning from France, whither he had gone to try and negotiate a loan. The Argentine Republic, however, claim jurisdiction over Patagonia, and regard M. Tonnens as a usurper.” The newspapers of Constantinople announce that Akhiolyi, a town of 5000 inhabitants, on the Gulf of Burghaz, has been completely destroyed by fire. “ The authorities of the French Museum," writes a London daily paper of recent date, “ have recently had a delicate operation to perform in the removal of the various living reptiles from their former domicile to more commodious premises. The task was undoubtedly one fraught with danger, in consequence of the venomous character of some of the. creatures, but was fortunately performed without accident. The boa constrictors and pythons had been previously overfed, and were very easily handled by the keepers, who at any time could prevent any attempt at strangulation on the part of their charges, by dexterously twisting and gently uucoibng their decei ful folds. Had Laocoon been a keeper of reptiles in a modern menagerie, he would have been able to preserve himself and his sons from their fate. The venomous snakes, such as the crafty cobra and the deadly rattlesnake, presented of course greater dangers, and they had to be tempted by offers of food, into small cages in which they were hurriedly enclosed and transferred to their new home. But even the poisonous serpents were more easily managed than the crocodiles and al igntors. These scaly saurians protested against any interference, and made a charming display of their formidable rows of teeth and the curious trap door which Jmarks the entrance down their capacious throats. Neither offers of food nor encouraging words were of any avail, and handling was out of question; so nets had to be brought into requisition, in which they were ignominously hauled out of the water, and forcibly transferred to the appointed place, where they, as well as the snakes, are now reported to be thoroughly happy and contented. The incident is interesting, taken in connection with the great risk there was of the liberation of the reptilesin the Zoological gardens at Regent'spark by the recent explosion. Where so much glass was shattered, it is wonderful that none of the glass fronts against which the cobra and rattlesnake dash their beads, in vain attempts to strike the astonished visitor, were even cracked. The blankets in which the tropical species are considerately wrapped were rudely shaken oft them by the concussion, and a fairly thick mantle of dust was dislodged from the tops of the cages, Had any of the glass cases been fractured and the snakes been liberated, the coolness and skill of the keepers would have been tested to the uttermost. Mr Holland says he was perfectly prepared for such an emergency, but he must at the same time feel gratified that he was not brought face to face with a miscellaneous collection of snakes, and lizards, and crocodiles making the most of a new found liberty.”