conflicting figures of its external form, the real nature and affinities of this most remarkable species would be involved in as much obscurity and doubt, and become the subject of as many conflicting opinions among the ornithologists of that period, as are those of the Dodo in the present day. The Apteryx is not larger than a full-grown fowl, and has only a rudimentary wing, so covered with the body feathers as to be quite concealed; the terminating slender claw may, however, be discerned on examination. The bill is long and slightly curved, having the nostrils at the extremity; its feathers, the sides of which are uniform in structure, do not exceed four and a-half inches in length, and are much prized as material for mantles or cloaks by the chiefs. It is a nocturnal bird, using its long bill in search of worms, upon which it principally feeds; it kicks with great power, and burrows at the root of the rata, at the base of

which tree is also found the extraordinary Sphæria Robertsia, a species of vegetating caterpillar. Retaining the form of the caterpillar, the fungus pervades the whole body, and shoots up a small stem above the surface of the ground, the body of the caterpillar being below the earth in an erect position. The Apteryx frequently leans with its bill upon the earth-one of its chief characteristics-and thus, when viewed from a distance, appears to be standing on three legs.

By the natives of New Zealand, these birds are called Kiwis, from the cry they utter, and they are frequently caught by a cunning imitator of their tone, who, when they approach, dazzles and frightens them with a light previously concealed, and throwing his blanket over them thus secures them.

A FLOATING CITY.

One of the most wonderful cities in the world is Bankok. It is the capital of Siam, and is situated on-or rather in-the great river Meinam. Our engraving represents a portion of this unique metropolis, and we find the following graphic account of it in a volume of recent travels "The capital of Siam! Did you ever witness such a sight in

your life?

On either side of the wide, majestic stream, moored in regular streets and alleys, and extending as far as the eye can reach, are upwards of seventy thousand neat little wooden houses, each house floating on a compact raft of bamboos; and the whole intermediate space of the river presents to our astonished gaze one dense mass of ships, junks, and boats, of very conceivable shape, colour, and size. As we glide along amongst these, we occasionally encounter a stray floating house, broken loose from its moorings, and hurrying down the stream with

the tide, amidst the uproar and shouts of the inhabitants and all the spectators. We also observe that all the front row of houses are neatly painted shops, in which various tempting commodities are exposed for sale; behind these again, at equal distances, rise the lofty and elegant porcelain towers of the various watts and temples. On our right-hand side, far away as we can see, are three stately pillars, erected to the memory of three defunct kings, celebrated for some acts of valour and justice; and a little beyond these, looming like a line-of-battle ship amongst a lot of cockle-shells, rises the straggling and not very elegant palace of the king, where his Siamese Majesty, with ever so many wives and children, resides. Right ahead, where the city terminates, and the river, making a curve, flows behind the palace, is a neat-looking-fort,

surmounted with a tope of mango-trees, over which peep the roofs of one or two houses, and a tall flag-staff, from which floats the royal pendant and jack of Siam-a flag of red groundwork, with a white elephant worked into the centre. That is the fort and palace of the prince Chou Fau, now king of Siam, and one of the most extraordinary and intellectual men in the East. Of him, however, we shall see and hear more, after we have bundled our traps on shore, and taken a little rest. Now, be careful how you step out of the boat into the balcony of the floating house, for it will recede to the force of your effort to mount, and if not aware of this, you lose your balance and fall into the river. Now we are safely transhipped, for we cannot as yet say landed; but we now form an item, though a very small one, of the vast population of the city of Bangkok.

We take a brief survey of our present apartments, and find everything, though inconveniently small, cleanly and in other respects comfortable, First, we have a little balcony which overhangs the river, and is about twenty yards long by one and a half broad. Then we have an excellent sitting-room, which serves us for parlour, dining-room, and all; then we have a little side room for books and writing; and behind these, extending the length of the other two, a bed-room. Of course we must bring or make our own furniture; for, though those houses inhabited by the Chinese are pretty well off on this score, the Siamese have seldom anything besides their bedding materials, a few pots and pans to cook with, a few jars of stores and fishing-net or two. Every house has a canoe attached to it, and no nation detests walking so much as the Siamese ; at the same time they are all expert swimmers, and both men and women begin to acquire this very necessary art at a very early age. Without it a man runs momentary risk of being drowned, as, when a canoe upsets, none of the passers-by ever think it necessary to lend any aid, supposing them fully adequate to the task of saving their own lives. Canoes are hourly being upset, owing to the vast concourse of vessels and boats plying to and fro; and, owing to this negligence or carelessness in rendering assistance, a Mr. Benham, an American missionary, lost his life some twelve years ago, having upset his own canoe when it was just getting dusk, and though surrounded by hundreds of boats, not one deemed it necessary to stop and pick the poor man up."

BEQUESTS FOR LIGHTING THE STREETS.

There cannot be a greater contrast than between the present and the ancient mode of lighting the streets of London. What a picture do the two following bequests present to us of the state of things a hundred years ago!

John Wardall, by will, dated 29th August, 1656, gave to the Grocers' Company a tenement called the White Bear, in Walbrook, to the intent that they should yearly, within thirty days after Michaelmas, pay to the churchwardens of St. Botolph, Billingsgate, £4, to provide a good and sufficient iron and glass lantern, with a candle, for the direction of passengers to go with more security to and from the water-side, all night long, to be fixed at the north-east corner of the parish church of St.

Botolph, from the feast-day of St. Bartholomew to Lady-Day; out of which sum £1 was to be paid to the sexton for taking care of the lantern. This annuity is now applied to the support of a lamp in the place prescribed, which is lighted with gas.

John Cooke, by will, dated 12th September, 1662, gave to the churchwardens, &c., of St. Michael's, Crooked Lane, £76, to be laid out to the most profit and advantage, for various uses, and amongst them, for the maintenance of a lantern and candle, to be eight in the pound at least, to be kept and hanged out at the corner of St. Michael's Lane, next Thames Street, from Michaelmas to Lady-Day, between the hours of nine and ten o'clock at night, until the hours of four or five in the morning, for affording light to passengers going through Thames Street, or St. Michael's Lane.

EXTRAORDINARY INSTANCE OF CREDULITY.

To the honour of the lords of the creation, there are some husbands who so grieve at the death of their partners, that they will not part with them when actually dead; and even go so far as to wish, and try hard, for their resurrection; witness Sir John Pryse, of Newtown, Montgomeryshire, who married three wives, and kept the first two who died, in his room, one on each side of his bed; his third lady, however, declined the honour of his hand till her defunct rivals were committed to their proper place. Sir John was a gentleman of strange singularities. During the season of miracles worked by Bridget Bostock, of Cheshire, who healed all diseases by prayer, faith, and an embrocation of fasting spittle, multitudes resorted to her from all parts, and kept her salivary glands in full employ. Sir John, with a high spirit of enthusiasm, wrote to this wonderful woman to make him a visit at Newtown Hall, in order to restore to him his third and favourite wife (above mentioned), now dead. His letter will best tell the foundation on which he built his strange hope, and very uncommon request :

Purport of Sir J. Pryse's letter to Mrs. Bridget Bostock, 1748.

Madam,-Having received information, by repeated advices, both public and private, that you have, of late, performed many wonderful cures, even where the best physicians have failed, and that the means used appeared to be very inadequate to the effects produced, I cannot but look upon you as an extraordinary and highly-favoured person; and why may not the same most merciful God, who enables you to restore sight to the blind, hearing to the deaf, and strength to the lame, also enable you to raise the dead to life? Now, having lately lost a wife, whom I most tenderly loved; my children an excellent step-mother, and our acquaintances a very dear and valuable friend, you will lay us all under the highest obligations; and I earnestly entreat you, for God Almighty's sake, that you will put up your petitions to the Throne of Grace, on our behalf, that the deceased may be restored to us, and the late dame Eleanor Pryse be raised from the dead. If your personal attendance appears to you to be necessary, I will send my coach and six, with proper servants, to wait on you hither, whenever you please to appoint. Re

compense of any kind, that you could propose, would be made with the utmost gratitude; but I wish the bare mention of it is not offensive to both God and you. I am, madam, your obedient, &c.

(Pennant's Wales, vol. 3, p. 190.)

HIGH PRICE OF FISH IN LONDON.

JOHN PRYSE.

It is on record that on January 4, 1809, there being only four cod-fish in Billingsgate, a fishmonger gave fourteen guineas for them, and salmon soon after was sold at a guinea a pound!

THE GREAT AQUEDUCT OF PONT DU GARD.

The remains of Roman aqueducts, of great extent and massiveness, occur in various parts of Europe, over which the Roman dominion once extended. Among these, the most celebrated are the Pont du Gard, near Nismes, in the Department du Gard, in the south of France; the aqueduct over the Moselle, near Metz; and the aqueduct of Segovia, in Old Castile. The Pont du Gard (of which we here give an engraving) was designed to convey the waters of the fountain of Aure to the town of Nismes, the ancient Nemausus. This aqueduct crosses the beautiful valley, and the stream of the river Gardon, uniting two steep hills, by which the valley is bounded at this place. It consists of two tiers of large arches, the lower of which are eighty feet in span, and a third tier of small arches, which support the trunk of the aqueduct. The channel for the water is above four feet wide, and five deep, and is lined with cement three inches thick, and covered with a thin coating of red clay. The whole work, with the exception of the above-mentioned channel for