Professor Jaeger tells also the following anecdote of another passionate naturalist: The celebrated Prince Paul of Würtemberg, whom Mr. Jaeger met in 1829 at Port-au-Prince, being one day at the latter’s house, shed tears of envy when he showed him the gigantic beetle Actæon, which, only a short time before, had been presented to him by the Haytien Admiral Banajotti, he having found it at the foot of a cocoa-nut tree on his plantation.[1260]

While traveling in Poland, Professor Jaeger visited the highly accomplished Countess Ragowska, at her country residence, when she exhibited her fine, scientifically-arranged

collection of butterflies and other insects, and told him that she had personally instructed her children in botany, history, and geography by means of her entomological cabinet—botany, from the plants on which the various larvæ feed; history, from the names, as Menelaus, Berenice, etc., given as specific names to the perfect insects; and geography, from the native countries of the several specimens.[1261] From the scientific names of insects, and the technical terms employed in their study, quite a knowledge of Latin and Greek, and philology in general, might also be gained.

In R. Brookes’ “Natural History of Insects, with their properties and uses in medicine,” we find the following statement: “There have been the solid shells of a sort of Beetle brought to England, that were found on the eastern coast of Africa, over against part of the Island of Madagascar, which the natives hang to their necks, and make use of them as whistles to call their cattle together.”[1262] What this “sort of Beetle” is I have not been able yet to determine.

Mr. Fitch W. Taylor, chaplain to the squadron commanded by Commodore Geo. C. Read, gives a translation of several Siamese books, and among others the Siamese Dream-book. It was translated by Mrs. Davenport, and the subject is thus introduced:

“In former times a great prophet and magician, who had much wisdom and could foretell all future events, gave the following interpretation of signs and dreams. Whosoever sees signs and visions, if he wishes to know whether they forebode good or evil, whether happiness or misery, if he dream of any animals, insects, birds, or fishes, and wishes to know the interpretation, let him examine this book.”

Of these signs and dreams I make extract of those which refer to insects, as follows:

“If a person be alone, and an insect or reptile fall before the face, but the individual see it only without touching it, it denotes that some heavenly being will bestow great blessings on him. If it fall to the right side, it denotes that all his friends, wherever scattered abroad, shall again meet him in peace. If it fall behind the person, it denotes that he shall be slandered and maliciously talked of by his friends

and acquaintances. If in falling it strike the face, it denotes that the individual will soon be married. If it strike the right arm, it denotes that the individual’s wishes, whatever they are, shall be accomplished. If it strike the left hand, it denotes that the individual will lose his friends by death. If it strike the foot, it denotes that whatever trouble the individual may have had, all shall vanish, and he shall reach the summit of happiness. If, after touching the foot, it should crawl upward toward the head, it denotes that the individual shall be raised to high office by the rulers of his country. If it crawl to the right side, it denotes that the person shall hear bad tidings of some absent friend. If the insect or reptile fall without touching the body, and immediately flee toward the northeast, it denotes deep but not lasting trouble; if toward the northwest, it denotes that the person shall receive numerous and valuable presents; if toward the southeast, it denotes that he shall receive great riches, and afterwards go to a distant land; or that he shall go to a distant land, and there amass great wealth.

“If an animal, insect, bird, or reptile, cross the path of any one as he walks along, the animal coming from the right, let him not proceed—some calamity will surely happen to him in the way. If the animal come from the left, let him proceed—good fortune shall surely happen to him. If the animal proceed before him in the same road in which he intends to travel, it denotes good fortune.…