a point like the wires of a mouse-trap, and being somewhat impatient of its confinement it brushes backwards and forwards, trying every corner, till, after repeatedly traversing the stigma, it covers it with pollen sufficient for its impregnation, in consequence of which the flower soon begins to droop, and the hairs to shrink to the sides of the tube, effecting an easy passage for the escape of the insect.” —­Rev. P. Keith-System of Physiological Botany.

{*16} The bees —­ ever since bees were —­ have been constructing their cells with just such sides, in just such number, and at just such inclinations, as it has been demonstrated (in a problem involving the profoundest mathematical principles) are the very sides, in the very number, and at the very angles, which will afford the creatures the most room that is compatible with the greatest stability of structure.

During the latter part of the last century, the question arose among mathematicians—­“to determine the best form that can be given to the sails of a windmill, according to their varying distances from the revolving vanes, and likewise from the centres of the revoloution.”  This is an excessively complex problem, for it is, in other words, to find the best possible position at an infinity of varied distances and at an infinity of points on the arm.  There were a thousand futile attempts to answer the query on the part of the most illustrious mathematicians, and when at length, an undeniable solution was discovered, men found that the wings of a bird had given it with absolute precision ever since the first bird had traversed the air.

{*17} He observed a flock of pigeons passing betwixt Frankfort and the Indian territory, one mile at least in breadth; it took up four hours in passing, which, at the rate of one mile per minute, gives a length of 240 miles; and, supposing three pigeons to each square yard, gives 2,230,272,000 Pigeons. —­ “Travels in Canada and the United States,” by Lieut.  F. Hall.

{*18} The earth is upheld by a cow of a blue color, having horns four hundred in number.” —­ Sale’s Koran.

{*19} “The Entozoa, or intestinal worms, have repeatedly been observed in the muscles, and in the cerebral substance of men.” —­ See Wyatt’s Physiology, p. 143.

{*20} On the Great Western Railway, between London and Exeter, a speed of 71 miles per hour has been attained.  A train weighing 90 tons was whirled from Paddington to Didcot (53 miles) in 51 minutes.

{*21} The Eccalobeion

{*22} Maelzel’s Automaton Chess-player.

{*23} Babbage’s Calculating Machine.

{*24} Chabert, and since him, a hundred others.

{*25} The Electrotype.

{*26} Wollaston made of platinum for the field of views in a telescope a wire one eighteen-thousandth part of an inch in thickness.  It could be seen only by means of the microscope.