* * * * *

NOTE.—­A Great Aquarium (and something more) is being made at Naples by a young German naturalist—­Dr. Dohrn, of Stettin—­at an expense of between L7000 and L8000, nearly all of which comes out of his own pocket.  The ground-floor of the building (an area of nearly eight thousand square feet) is to hold the Great Aquarium.  It is hoped that the money obtained by opening this to the public will both support the Aquarium itself, and do something towards defraying the expenses of the upper story of the Zoological Station, as it is called.  This will contain a scientific library, including Dr. Dohrn’s own valuable private collection, and tables for naturalists to work at, furnished with necessary appurtenances, including tanks supplied with a constant stream of sea-water.  Sea-fishing and dredging will be carried on in connection with the establishment, to supply subjects for study.  Dr. Dohrn proposes to let certain of these tables to governments and scientific societies, who will then have the privilege of giving certificates, which will enable their naturalists to enjoy all the benefits of the institution.

     Surely some new acquaintances will be made among the sea-gentry in
     this paradise of naturalists!

TINY’S TRICKS AND TOBY’S TRICKS.

TINY.

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“Oh Toby, my dear old Toby, you portly and princely Pug!

“You know it’s bad for you to lie in the fender:—­Father says that’s what makes you so fat—­and I want you to come and sit with me on the Kurdistan rug.

“Put your lovely black nose in my lap, and I’ll count your great velvet wrinkles, and comfort you with kisses.

“If you’ll only keep out of the fender—­Father says you’ll have a fit if you don’t!—­and give good advice to your poor Little Missis.

“Father says you are the wisest creature he knows, and you are but eight years old, and three months ago I was six.

“And yet Mother says I’m the silliest little girl that she ever met with, because I am always picking up tricks.

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“She does not know where I learnt to stand on one leg (unless it was from a goose), but it has made one of my shoulders stick out more than the other.

“It wasn’t the goose who taught me to whistle up and down-stairs.  I learnt that last holidays from my brother.

“The baker’s man taught me to put my tongue in my cheek when I’m writing copies, for I saw him do it when he was receipting a bill.

“And I learnt to wrinkle my forehead, and squeeze up my eyes, and make faces with my lips by imitating the strange doctor who attended us when we were ill.

“It was Brother Jack himself who showed me that the way to squint is to look at both sides of your nose.

“And then, Toby—­would you believe it?—­he turned round last holidays and said—­’Look here, Tiny, if the wind changes when you’re making that face it’ll stay there, and remember you can’t squint properly and keep your eye on the weathercock at the same time to see how it blows.’