of the eruption abated, and to-day the alarmed inhabitants of Ottajano and Mauro begin to breathe a little freely. The injury done to houses and land, about 300 moggie, is reckoned at £300,000. It is impossible to give you a complete idea of this sublime and terrific natural A short time brought them tidings of the melancholy spectacle. As it was not attended by any danger to apevent, as has been already narrated. The nephew inhe-proach the lava during the last three evenings, not only rited the estates and effects of his deceased relative, and the number of gentlefolks who went to see the threatened appearing soon after at the bar of Rome, he distinguished villages was great, including all that was distinguished of himself so much by his eloquence, that he and his friend natives and foreigners in Naples, Sorrento, and CastellTacitus were reckoned the two greatest orators of their age. mare, but thousands of the peasants and citizens, with "The death of the elder Pliny occurred on the 24th of their wives and children, from all the neighbourhood, August, in the fifty-sixth year of his age, and seventy- came and saw, and wondered at the progress of the deninth of the Christian era; and the date is remarkable as struction. What a contrast between the terror of the synchronizing the fatal eruption of the same mountain despairing inhabitants, who in a moment saw their whole which happened during the present year (1834), with property the only hope in future for their at least painthat which took place nearly eighteen centuries ago. ful life-irrecoverably lost; and the wild and almost "Although that mentioned here is the first great erup- mocking, singing, and laughing of the jackass drivers, and tion of Vesuvius on record, there is evidence of others the rude merriment of some soldiers, who, not contented having occurred at some more remote period. After this with the injury done by the eruption, proceeded with the mountain continued to burn for nearly a thousand Vandal rage to destroy what Vesuvius had spared. years; the fire then appeared to become extinct; but "SEPT. 6.-The state of Vesuvius is not yet peaceful since the beginning of the sixteenth century, there have enough. Every day huge pillars of smoke arise from the been eruptions at intervals, the most remarkable of which middle of the crater, which generally disperse in light happened in 1506 and 1183, which destroyed many towns showers of ashes, and often are accompanied by very loud and about 40,000 people; and in the month of August of reports. The well known cicerone of Vesuvius, Salvatore, the present year, 1834, on the same day of the month on is of opinion that another eruption may be expected; and which Pliny perished, which is represented as one of the persons are afraid that it will take place in the middle of most terrific ever known. The following account of it, the mountain, and direct the lava towards Portici. The given in a private letter from Naples, dated August 30th, lava, the destructive flow of which only stopped on the deserves a place as a sequel to the interesting description 1st, pressed forward to about a mile from Scafati, a small of the younger Pliny. town on the river Sarno, and has almost cut off the communication between Nola and Castellmare, having stopped only a few paces from the high road. Three hundred fa milies have lost their homes and their vineyards, which promised them a rich vintage, and all their property. Their loss is irreparable." "Nearly 400 years before Pliny wrote, Aristotle had col lected and embodied into a systematic form, whatever information in science (for we speak here of that alone) the ancient world possessed; but he did more, he greatly extended the boundaries of natural knowledge, by superadding to the labours of his predecessors many facts and observations of his own, from which he elicited general principles that served as the first foundation of that splendid superstructure, which, after a long interval, rose to such beauty and symmetry in its several compartments, under the hands of Newton and Laplace, Linnæus and Jussieu, Buffon and Cuvier. The works of the Greek philosopher were early imported into Italy; but the Roman government, both under the Republic and the Emperors, was too much occupied in extending and securing its conquests, to patronise or encourage physical studies. That the mere love of nature had attracted many to these delightful pursuits, in the time that elapsed between Aristotle and Pliny, is well known from the excerpts which they furnished to others; but their works have perished in the wreck of ages; and the two great pillars of science already named, which mark the respective eras of Vespasian and Alexander the Great, stand forth in the wide field of antiquity-like Baalbec and Tadmor in the desert-in solitary grandeur; but, like these venerable ruins, too, dismantled and mutilated of their original proportions. The Natural History of Pliny, the last and most important of his writings, may justly be said to have introduced the second distinct epoch of physical knowledge, which remained nearly in the state where he left it for about | peace in its mouth, we afterwards in it and the turtle 1500 years, without patronage or cultivation, until the enumerated among the sacrificial offerings and atonenight of barbarism passed away, and the restoration of ments under the Mosaical dispensation. Among the healetters awoke the dormant energies of the human intel- then nations, from the affection exhibited by the sexes to lect. This great work is the only one of his numerous each other, it was dedicated to the goddess of love, and performances that has come down to us; the titles given represented as her constant and appropriate attendant. to Titus in the dedication, shew that it was concluded in That the common pigeon and domestic turtle of the prethe 78th year of Christianity, that is, only one year be- sent day, are the same species which were thus cultivated fore the author's death." and protected by the ancients, is evidently and satisfactorily proved by the descriptions of various authors, as well as the numerous and faithful representations handed down to us by the chisel of their sculptors. The memoir contains an analysis of this extraordinary production, which from its immense extent, has been well denominated the Encyclopedia of the ancients. It is, indeed, a curious compound; even the table of contents as here given, is a curiosity. From the " Memoir" we must pass on, however, to give a short extract from the body of the work, as a specimen of the manner in which Mr. Selby, the author, has performed the part assigned to him -to trace the natural history of the different varieties of Pigeons. THE ROCK OR WILD PIGEON. "The Pigeons, or family of the Columbida, which furnished the materials for the present volume, are now, in accordance with their true affinities, admitted into the order of the Rasores, or Gallinaceous Birds, of which they form one of the five great groups or divisions. "The Columbidæ possess a very extensive geographical distribution, species being found in every quarter of the world, and in all its climates, except those within the frigid zones. It is, however, in the tropical climates of southern Asia, and the islands of the great Indian Archipelago, that the species swarm in the greatest variety and abundance; for in these warm and genial climates, a never-failing supply of food, adapted to each kind, is always to be found. It is here that most of the thick-billed pigeons, vying with the parrots in the colour of their plumage, and, in some respects, resembling them in their manners, luxuriate amidst the thick and umbrageous foliage of the banyan, and other trees, whose fruit affords them a rich and never-failing repast. It is here also that the small and beautiful Ptilinopi or turtelines, and the larger Carpophage, or fruit-eating pigeons, are met with. It is in the odoriferous region of the Spice Islands, that these curious birds, the great crowned pigeon or gowra, and the Nicobar ground pigeon, remarkable for their respective deviation from the proper Columbine form, find a suitable abode; besides a variety of other species belonging to different groups. Africa also abounds in many beautiful species, among which are several of the genus Vinago; and to this continent belongs the Col. carunculata, Auct., a bird that makes as near an approach as any of the family to the true Rasorial groups. In both regions of the American Continent, we meet with a great variety of species, many of them possessing the typical form of the family, as represented by the ring-pigeon or the common pigeon; others approaching, both in form and habits, in a greater or less degree, to the typical Gallinaceous Birds, and in a mnnner taking the place of, or representing certain forms of the Tetraonide of which that continent is destitute. In Europe, the species become greatly reduced in number, and are confined to its warm and temperate districts, as it is only where the cerealia and leguminous plants flourish, and the oak and the beech bring their fruit to perfection, that the pigeons can find a regular supply of their appropriate food; and even in many of those districts where they abound during the summer and early autumnal months, they are obliged to migrate to warmer latitudes during the severity of winter, when the ground becomes congealed by frost, or covered with snow. "In disposition the Columbida are wild and timorous, and with the exception of the common pigeon and ringed turtle, the attempts to reclaim or domesticate other species have hitherto failed. In regard to the first mentioned kind, it may be observed, that its peculiar habits and economy appear to have been taken advantage of from the remotest period, for besides the interesting mention made of it in the earlier pages of the sacred volume, when it was sent forth as a messenger from the ark, and returned the harbinger of glad tidings, bearing the olive branch of "The voice or notes of the Columbida are few, in all the species much akin to each other, and consist of guttural sounds or cooings frequently repeated; in many they are plaintive and tender in tone, in others hoarse and rather unpleasant. They are principally used by the male when paying court to his mate, and are mostly confined to the pairing and breeding season. "The general characters of the family may be thus stated: bill strait, the tip hard and horny, more or less arched and deflected, the base covered with a soft, naked, and bulging membrane, which partly covers and protects the nostrils. Orbits of the eyes more or less naked. Feet with four toes, nearly divided, three anterior and one posterior, the latter placed on the same base or plane with the front toes. "The rock or wild pigeon is better known to our readers as the inhabitant of the pigeon-house, or, as it is frequently called the dove-cot, buildings erected expressly for the purpose of containing colonies of these birds. In this state, where they enjoy a perfect freedom of action, and are nearly dependant upon their own exertions for support, they can scarcely be called reclaimed, much less domesticated. Man, indeed, has only taken advantage of certain habits natural to the species, and by the substitu tion of an artificial for a real cavern, to which the pigeon-house may be compared, has, without violating or at least greatly infringing upon its natural condition, brought it into a kind of voluntary subjection, and rendered it subservient to his benefit and use. Vast numbers of young pigeons in various parts of the world are by this system annually produced and rendered available as a wholesome and nutritious food, as well as a source of considerable profit to the proprietors of these edifices. "Various practical treatises upon the management of the dove-cot, and other details connected with it, are already before the public, and to them we must refer our readers for further information, as the limited nature of the present work will not admit of such copious extracts as would be necessary to embrace all the respective details. It may not, however, be out of place to advert to a few of the principal objects to be considered, by those who contemplate the erection of a pigeon-house; and first, in regard to the form of the building. The most approved is that of a circular tower, as it affords advantages not possessed by the square, giving an easier access to the breeding birds to their nests, and a greater facility of taking the young, and inspecting and clearing out the holes, by means of a ladderturning upon an axis. Around the interior of the tower, about three or four feet from the bottom, a horizontal ledge of eight or ten inches in width ought to project, in order to prevent rats, weasels, and other vermin, destructive to the eggs and young, from scaling the walls and entering the pigeon-holes, and if this ledge be covered on its under surface with tin or sheet-iron, it will the more effectually prevent the entrance of such intruders. A second ledge of less width, and about midway up in a pigeon-house of considerable height, may also be of advantage, not only for additional security against enemies, but as a resting-place for the pigeons when they enter the house. The holes or nests are best built in quincunx order, and not directly over one another, and they ought to be sufficiently large to allow the old birds to move in them with freedom, and to stand upright, in which position they always feed their young. "Frequent attention to the state of the holes is necessary, and they ought regularly to be inspected and cleansed after each great flight, that is, towards the end of May, and again before winter. The dung accumulated at the bottom of the house should also be removed every three or four months, as the effluvium which arises from it when in a large mass, and in a state of fermentation, is injurious to the health of the birds, and also prevents them making use of the lower tiers of nest-holes. In point of situation, a gentle acclivity, exposed to the south, and open to the rays of the sun, in which the pigeon delights to bask and repose, is the most favourable. It ought not to be too far removed from a plentiful supply of water, as the pigeon is a great and frequent drinker; neither too closely surrounded by trees, as, when near, they interfere with the free egress and ingress of the birds, and are supposed to be disagreeable to them, from the noise they make in winds and storms. The pigeon being a bird of a timid nature, and easily alarmed, the house should stand at such a distance from all the other offices, as not to be incommoded by any noise or movements about them. From a pigeon-house of tolerable dimensions, a produce of many dozens of young may annually be procured, and that for nearly eight months out of the twelve, as they are in full breeding from March till the end of May, and again from August till the close of November; and all that is required to keep up the breeding stock, is to permit a limited portion of the latter hatchings to escape. Domestic or fancy pigeons are generally kept confined in aviaries, or lodged in appropriate buildings attached to or near the house of the breeder, in order that they may be regularly and easily fed, cleansed, and duly attended to in all matters having rcference to their condition and health; for their natural instinct and their feeling of li berty have been so nearly effaced, or placed in abeyance by the captivity to which they have been subjected for so many generations, that they have become nearly depend. pability, even when allowed to fly at large, of looking for ent upon man for support, and have lost the power or ca and finding their own food, insomuch that, if left to themselves, they would in all likelihood perish from hunger and want. tain number of boxes or divisions against the walls or In these buildings, it is usual to erect a cer sides, each calculated to accommodate a pair of pigeons, with their nest and young. They are best when separated and distinct from each other, with a small platform, and an entrance just large enough to admit the bird; as, when disposed in a continuous row, and open in front, the birds are apt to interfere with each other, and, by their jealousies and contentions, to prevent the due increase of kind, the young males, as soon as they shew symptoms of eggs and young. To ensure the purity of any particular maturity, which is known by particular gesticulations and their cooing-notes, are placed apart in a chamber constructed for the purpose, with a female of the same va riety. Here they remain till a mutual attachment has taken place, after which they may be returned to the ge is effected, it generally continues undissolved and invioneral aviary or dove-house; for, when once an alliance late till the death or removal of one of the parties; on which account many different varieties may be kept in the same aviary, or associated together in one building, with out much apprehension of having a contaminated breed." STATUE OF On OF GEORGE III. IN THE ROYAL EXCHANGE. For description see our last Number. Dublin Printed and Published by P. D. HARDY, 3, Cecilia-street, to whom all communications are to be addressed THE The above is a correct representation of the equestrian statue of William III., which stands in College-green, on a pedestal of granite stone, considerably elevated, and surrounded by iron palisades. The pedestal is formed into pannels, and decorated with military emblems. The statue itself is well executed, the king is crowned with a laurel wreath, and on the pedestal is the following inscription: GULIELMO TERTIO MAGNE BRITANNIE, FRANCIE, ET HIBERNIÆ REGI, OB RELIGIONEM CONSERVATUM, LIBERTATAM ASSERTAM. CIVES DUBLINIENSIS HANC STATUAM POSSUERE. This statue was erected, in 1701, by the citizens of Dublin, to commemorate the Revolution of 1688. It would appear that from the very first moment of its erection, this statue has been a source of discord and ill will. During the government of the Duke of Wharton, VOL. IV. NO. 21. an attack was made upon it, which called forth the interference of the Irish government. On the 25th of June, 1700, the Jacobites or Tories very much defaced ittwisted the sword from one hand and the truncheon from the other, and daubed the face and body with some black substance, which could not be removed without scraping, The House of Lords, then assembling in College green, addressed the Duke of Wharton on the transaction; who, the next day, issued a proclamation, offering a reward of one hundred guineas or pounds for a discovery of the guilty persons. The House of Commons was at the time adjourned, but when they assembled, on the 1st of August following, they also addressed his Excellency on the same subject. The authors were never discovered; but the city having caused the statue to be repaired, the thanks of the House of Commons, without a dissentient voice, were given to the Lord Mayor and citizens for so doing. In more modern times its annual commemoration was a source of much exasperation among the lower orders This feeling, however, has of late very much died away. 161 On a bright summer's morning, as I stood on one of the tremendous cliffs which overhang the broad Shannon at its mouth-where the unceasing war of the Atlantic's gigantic waves had fretted and foamed for ages, among the caves and hollows of this iron-bound coast-gradually a shade was thrown on the bosom of the placid glass-like river. As I gazed on the smooth waters the shadows increased, and imperceptibly began to take palpable forms. My wonder increased on perceiving, slowly developed, the shadowy forms of towers, steeples, and turretted castles, which spread themselves on every side. There was to be seen, clearly defined, a noble town. On a sudden I heard a noise, as of rushing waters, accompa nied with what I took to be wailings and lamentations, Looking towards the sea, I saw the white-crested waves rushing with impetuosity towards the shadowy town. On they came, and in a moment all had vanished, except one solitary castle, at its farthest extremity. From this (as I gazed with increased astonishment) issued the form of a warrior, armed, and mounted on a jet black horse; on his crupper was seated a female form, who clung closely to the warrior with one hand-the other she alternately waved towards where the town was, and the shore where I stood. They buffetted with the waves for a few moments, and then sunk amidst the boiling surges. As A turned, with melancholy feelings, from viewing these strange appearances, I heard a voice calling me, in a commanding tone, to remain, I stood transfixed. A venerable old man, in the garb of a monk, was advancing from the face of the cliffs towards me. "Stay, oh, man!" said he, "and hear from me the melancholy story of the strange sights to which you have been an unbidden spectator. I, alone, (destined for my punishment to remain on earth till time shall be no more,') can explain these wonders. Centuries have passed," he continued, "since these now deserted shores were enlivened by the neighbourhood of a large and po pulous town, such as you have just now seen reflected on the waters. Buried many fathoms beneath these waves lie the palaces and castles of princes and barons of this land. How so great a calamity happened you shall announced that some dreadful occurrence had taken place; as he advanced to the gate the rush of the mighty "Oh, king! when thy daughter a stranger shall wed, ocean was heard-in a moment the gates were closed by Whose hand with the blood of her father is red, the violence of the waves. Mac Murchard, still hoping to Where thy castles now stand, the broad Shannon shall cover, escape, clung to his horse, supporting his bride, but a And thy court-yard the grave of the maid and her lover.' gigantic billow was seen rolling along, with resistless im"Seize that evil-boding stranger, cried the king, petuosity they rode on its summit for a moment, and greatly excited by what he had read. An hundred armed were overwċelmed to rise no more. All that inhabited men started to their feet, but the stranger was no where that peninsula were totally swallowed up by the rapa to be found; how he had entered, or how departed, no cious element. Once in a hundred years the Phantom man could tell. All present, deeply moved at the inci-Town is seen in its wonted situation, and the events of dent, deserted the banquet and retired to rest. "Adjoining Ulic's territories, were those of Mac Murchard, the powerful chieftain of Leinster. These princes had united in amity in order to repel the English that tremendous day are acted over again; and I, the guilty monk, Mac Murchard, an unwilling spectator of my evil work." He ceased. I looked once more at the water, now |