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anecdote of the simplicity of a raw Pat, who had just been transplanted from the interior of Dublin. Pat had been sent by his masier to purchase half a bushel of oysters, to the quay, at was absent so long, that apprehensions were entertained for his safety. He returned at last, however, puffing under his load in the the most musical style. “ Where the devil have you been 3” exclaimed his master.— ‘Where have l been? why where shouldl be but to fetch the oysters!” And what in the name ofSt. Patrick keptyou so long ?” Long ! by my sowl I’ve been pretty quick, consider- ing all things." " Considering what things ?" “ Considering what things? why, considering the gutting of the fish ; to be sure!” “ Gutting what fish?” “that fish? why, blur-an-ouns, the oysters to be sure!” *‘ What do you mean?” “ What do I mane? why, I mane, that as I was resting myself forenent the Pickled Her- ring, and having a drop to comfort me, a jon- tleman axed me what I’d got in the sack? ‘Oysters,’ says I. ' Let’s look at tlem,’ says he; and he opens the bag.—‘ Och! thunder and praties.’says he. ‘who sowld you these?‘ ‘ It was \lick Carney,‘ said I, ‘ aboard the POW] Doodle Smack.’ ‘Mick Carney, the thief o’ the world!‘ says he;—-‘what a blackguard he must be to give them to you without gulting.’ ‘And are’nt they gutted?‘ says 1. 'Devil 0’ one 0’ them. ‘Musha, then, says I, ‘what will I do 9’ ‘ Do,’ says he, ‘ I’d sooner do it my- self, than have you abused; and so, he takes ’em in doors and guts ’ein nate and clane, as you’ll see ; opening at the same time, his bag onystershells, which were as empty as the head that bore them to the house. If we had not this from an Irish paper, we should ven- ture to doubt its authenticity.

NATURAL HISTORY.

Extract/route work published in London, on the Natural History oflhe Honey Bee. by Ed- ward Bevan.

“ Itis a singular thing, that Bees, when de- prived by accident of their queen, create a substitute. One ofthe Working gruhs is ele- vated to the throne: but not without an extra- ordinary education, which fits them to perform the duties of sovereignty. Nature takes es. pecial care that no ambitious subject shall des- troy the commonwealth by thrusting the mo- narch trOm her throne and usui'piug her place. There can be no bee-Cromwell, or bee-Napo. loan, for the moment the intruder found him- selfin the royal palace he would perceive him- self entirely deficient in the organs of reign- ing. What bloodshed and confusion would it have prevented in the world had it been ne- cessary for a monarch not only to wield the the sceptre, but to lay a peculiar egg. This is a test which can admit of no doubt. A usur per might be instantly called into account. Lay your egg sir, or madam; prove your le- gitimacy, or vacate the place for the occupa- tion of one who can perform the royal func- tions.

“ Although the sovereign bee has nothing to fearfrom ambitious subjects, yet the moment she arrives at her queen’s estate, she becomes conscious that there are rival. near the throne, groceeding' in the spirit of oriental despot, she

etermines upon securing- the peace of her reign in the surest manner. She will suffer no beepnutured with the royal jelly. and thus analifiod for the sovereignty, to exist. Her rst thought, on emerging from her cell, is to put to death all the indwellers of the royal cradles. Of the manner in which this instinc- tivo animosity displays itself, we find a curious description by Mr. Dunbar.

THE BRITISH AMERICAN.

“In July when the hive had become filled with combs and bees, and well stored with he- ney, and when the queen was very fertile, lay- ing a hundred eggsaday, Mr. Dunbar opened the hive and took her majesty away. The bees labour- ed for eighteen hours before they appeared to miss her: but no sooner was the loss discovered than all was agitation and tumult; and they rush- ed in crowds to the door. as ifswarining. On the following morning he observed that they had founded five cells in the usual way under such circumstances; and in the evening of the same afternoon, four more were founded in a part of the comb where there were only eggs a day or two old On the fourteenth day from the old queen’s removal. a young queen emerged and irizee lal towards the other royal cells evidently with a murderous intention. She was immediately pulled away by the workers with violence; and this conduct on their part was repeated as often as the queen renewed her destructive purpose. At every repulse she appeared sulkey, and cried peep. peep,—0ne of the unhatched queens responding, but in a somewhat hoarser tone. This circumstance affords an explanation of the two different sounds which are heard prior to the issuing of second swarms. 0n the afternoon of the same day a second queen was hatched she immedi» diately buried herself in a cluster of bees. Next morning Mr. D. observed a hot pursuit of the younger queeen by the elder: but being called away, on his return half an hour after wards, the former was dying on the floor, no doubt the victim of the other. Huber has sta~ ted that these artificialqueens are mute ; but the circumstances noted by Mr. Dunbar, ofthe two queensjust referred to, having answered each other, disproves that statement. Con- trary also to the eXperience of Mr, Huber. Mr. D. found that the cells of artificial queens were surrounded by a guard. I have just adverted to the protection which they afl'orded to the royal cells, when assailed by the first hatched queen.

“ The unhappy drones, when the end oftheir being is answered, are ruthlessly massacred. The scene of fury to which they fall a sacrifice is thus described by Dr. Bevan.

“ After the season of swarming, viz. towards the end of July, as is well known, a general massacre ofthe drones takes place. The busi- m s'. of fecundation being now completed, the are regarded as useless consumers of olher’s la- bours. love is at once converted into furious hate,and a general prescription takes place. The unfortunate victims evidently perceive their danger, for they are never, at this time. seen resting in one place, but darting in anl out ofthe hive with the utmost. precipitation. as in fear ofbeing seized. Their destruction has been generally supposed to be effected by the workers harassing them till they quit the hive; this was the opinion of Mr. Hunter, who says the workers pitch them to and fro, without stinging them, and he considers their death as natural rather than an untimely one. But lIuber has observed that their destruc- tion is effected by the stings of the workers: he ascertained this by placing his hives upon a glass tube. Reumer seems to have been aware ofthis, for he has remarked that notwithstand- ing the superiority which the drones seem to have from their bulk, they cannot hold out against the workers. who are armed with a poignard which conveys p'oison into the wound it makes. The moment this formidable weapon has entered their bodies, they expand their wings and expire.

£0 15. MODERN DICTIONARY.

Distant relations.—I’eople who imagine the, have a right to rob you it'you are rich, and to insult you ifyou are poor.

Belle—A beautiful, but useless insect without wings, whose colours fade on being remond from the sunshine.

Hem-L—A a rare article, sometimes found in human beings. It is soon, however, destroyed by commerce with the world, or else become. fatal to its possessor.

Homewifrry—An ancient art, said to have been fashionable among young girls and wifes; now entirely out of use, or practiced only by the low orders.

Editor.-—A poor wretch who every day emp. ties his brain in order to fill his stomach.

Virtue.——An awkward habit of acting diffe- rently from other people. A vulgar word. It creates great mirth in fashionable circles.

U’ater.—-A clear fluid, once used as a drink.

Death.—An ill bred fellow, who visits people at at all seasons, and insists upon their immedi- ately returning his call

fluthor —A Dealer in words, who gets paid in his own coin.

Friend.—-A person who will not assist you be- cause he knows your love will excuse him.

"Edited blis:.—A term used by Milton.

Doctor.—A man who kills you to-day to save you from dying to-inorroiv.

Lunatic flsylum.- A kind of Hospital, where detected lunatic: are sent by those who have had the aeritn-ess to conceal their own infir. mitv.

fail.—The penalty of misfortune, and often the reward of virtue.

Opera.——A species ofdramatic entertainment to which the audience brings apples and pea nuts.

To the Editor of the British American. MR. Emma,

It may not perhaps be unamusing to many of your readers to learn a brief ac- count, or Memoirs of John Edmund Crafer, Surgeon. This Gentleman, unlike the as- piring genius of the age, who seek fame and fortune in the thronged city, or the busy haunts of men ; has for a series of years secluded himselfin a remote and ob- scure corner of the world, or rather in the bosom of the woods ofthe Island of Prince Edward. Iam certain from a long intima- cy and friendship, that this method of bold- ing him up to public view, will be anything but pleasant; but as a small tribute of friendship and a knowledge of his talents, which! consider ina great measure, lost to society, from his retired habits. This alone has induced me to make this feeble attempt, to rescue him from that oblivion which too well suits his turn of mind. Mr. C. was brought up with a Gentleman of considerable eminence in his profession; and received his anatamica Education from the celebrated Joshua Brooks : after pass- ing through the retinue of medical science at the different schools in London, he was placed in a genteel practice, and at the same time, officiated as an Assistant to the former Gentleman, in a very extensive practice, and also became private demon-