lian, Mr. James's Fleur-de-Lis, and Mr. Bouverie's br. colt, by Blucher, out of Brush's dam:-20 to 11 agst Augusta, 3 to 1 agst Lord Cavendish's colt, 6 and 7 to 1 agst Reginald, and 7 to 1 agst Tressilian; won very easy. In the Second October Meeting, at 8st. 12lb. she won a sweepstakes of 200gs. each, A. F. beating Lord Grosvenor's Adolphus, 8st. 5lb. Duke of Graf ton's Corbonaro, 8st. 3lb. paid :7 to 4 and 2 to 1 on Augusta. On Friday, in the same Meeting, at 8st. 8lb. she beat Mr. Udny's Ibla, 8st. D. M. 200gs. h. ft.: 5 to 2 on Augusta.-This was the last, and the above were the only times of her starting. ABJER, A brown horse, foaled in 1817, got by Truffle; his dam Briseis (dam of Discord, The Student, Corinne, and Blue Stockings), by Bening brough; grandam Lady Jane (dam of Skirmisher, Chryseis, Miss Tooley, Dorus, and Reserve), by Sir Peter; great grandam Paulina (dam of Paul, Director, Miss Guildford, Kidney, Hermione, Brass, Go-by, Hind, Sarah, &c.), by Florizel; great great grandam Captive, by Matchem; great great great grandam Calliope (dam of Thalia, Orpheus, Duchess, Whitelegs, Omphale, Sir John Falstaff, &c.), by Slouch; great great great great grandam Lass of the Mill (dam of Atalanta, &c.), by Oronooko; great great great great great grandam (sister to Lass of the Mill) by Traveller, great great great great great great grandam Miss Makeless, by Young Greyhound-Partner--Brown Woodcock, by Woodcock-Lusty Thornton, by Croft's Bay BarbChesnut Thornton, by MakelessOld Thornton, by Brimmer--Dicky Pierson-Burton Barb Mare. PERFORMANCES. - At Newmarket Craven Meeting, 1820, ABJER won a sweepstakes of 15gs. each, h. ft. for colts, 8st. 7lb. R. M. (nine subscribers), beating Lord G. H. Cavendish's Tiger :3 to 1 on Tiger.-On Monday, in the First Spring Meeting, in a sweepstakes of 200gs. each, h. ft. 8st 4lb. D. M. (six subscribers), Lord Stawell's Antigallican walked over, and divided the forfeits with Abjer. Mr. Payne's Plumper withdrew his stake.-On Saturday, he won the Palace Stakes of 150gs. each, 100gs. ft. for colts, 8st. 7lb. R. M. (14 subscribers), beating Lord Foley's Brother to Miracle, Duke of Rutland's bay colt, by Haphazard, out of Elizabeth, Duke of Grafton's Luck, and Sir J. Shelley's Calchas:-5 to 2 agst Luck, 3 to 1 agst Abjer, 3 to 1 agst Brother to Miracle, and 5 to 1 agst Calchas.-At Epsom, May 18, he received 100gs. out of the stakes for running second to Mr. Thornhill's Sailor for the Derby Stakes of 50gs. each, for colts 3st. 7lb. fillies 8st. 2lb. last mile and a half (52 subscribers), beating Lord G. H. Cavendish's Tiger, Lord Warwick's Selma, Duke of Grafton's Pindarrie, Mr. Peirse's Arbutus, Lord Stawell's Antigallican, Mr. Wilson's Locksley, Mr. Milnes's The Duke, Mr. Payne's Jobson, Mr. Fox's Gambler, Lord Jersey's bay colt, by Waxy, out of Defiance, Duke of Rutland's bay colt, by Haphazard, out of Elizabeth, Mr. Lake's Prodigious, and Lord Rous's Hoopoe :-5 to 2 and 3 to 1 agst Pindarrie, 4 to 1 agst Sailor, 9 to 2 agst Selma, 13 to 1 agst Antigallican, 15 to 1 agst Abjer, 15 to 1 agst The Duke, 18 to 1 agst Locksley, and 25 to 1 agst Arbutus.-In the same Meeting, he rec. ft. from Mr. Milnes's The Duke, 8st. 4lb. Derby Course, 200gs. h. ft.-At Newmarket Second October Meeting, he rec. ft. in the Billingbear Stakes of 200gs. each, h. ft. colts, 8st. 7lb. D. M. (nine subscribers). Duke of Grafton's Windfall with drew his stake. In the Houghton Meeting, at 8st. 4lb. he beat Mr. Thornhill's Mr. Low, 8st. 5lb. D. M. 200gs. h. ft.:-5 to 2 on Mr. Low. The above were the only times of his starting that year. At Newmarket Craven Meeting, 1821, Abjer won the Port Stakes of 100gs. each, h. ft.; colts, 8st. 7lb. fillies, 8st. 4lb. T. M. M. (eight subscribers), the owner of the second horse withdrew his stake, beating Lord Warwick's Selma :2 to 1 on Abjer.-In the First Spring Meeting, he won a sweepstakes of 100gs. each; colts, 8st. 71b. fillies, 8st. 2lb. B. C. (16 subscribers), beating Duke of Grafton's Windfall, Mr. Wortley's Locksley:-2 to 1 on Abjer, and 7 to 2 agst Locksley. In the First October Meeting, at 8st. he beat the Duke of York's Banker, 8st. 12lb. D. I. 300gs. h. ft. :-7 to 4 and 2 to 1 on Banker.-In the Second October Meeting, at 8st. 71b. he and Lord Exeter's b. c. by Ardrossan, out of Vicissitude, 4 yrs old, 8st. A. F. ran a dead heat, a match for 300gs. h. ft. :-5 to 4 agst Abjer.-In the same Meeting, at 8st. 12lb. he received 75gs. compromise from Mr. Charlton's St. Patrick, 4 yrs old, 8st. 1lb. A. F. 300gs. h. ft.-These are the only times of his starting this year. chard's book, has given rise to some doubts among sporting people here on the author's meaning in the paragraph commencing with-" If this work."-In this place Pichard observes" an author of known celebrity, who enlightens us on the advantages we may draw from Arabian horses, warning us, at the same time, against the inconvenience of naturalising in France such breeds, the stallions only of which, could bring us upon a par with the nations who have carried the education of the horse to the greatest perfection." Several persons have insisted, the above is clearly a contradiction in terms, the author having at once recommended, and warned the French breeder against the Arabian breed. They even suspect Pichard is making use of covert ridicule, upon the aforesaid author in this passage. But the matter appears to me in a different light. I understand that the Arab stallion only is recommended, and the native French mare, France having no interest of consequence in the racing breed like England, and of course, not wanting the thorough Arabian breed, but one of more general utility. For such purpose, they depend chiefly on the mare, ac cording to the universal continental opinion, much advocated also by some few writers of this country. I should be glad to be instructed on the above passage, by any of your correspondents conversant in French veterinary literature; and am, Sir, with due acknowledgements for the monthly gratification I receive from your admired Miscellany, yours, &c. i EQUESTRIUS. Doncaster, Nov. 20, 1821. DUCK-BILLED WATER MOLE, (With an Engraving.) WE lately received, through the politeness of Mr. Edw. Paine, a gentleman returned from Van Dieman's Land, a fine stuffed specimen of this most singular animal, which is by the inhabitants of that colony called the Duck-billed Water Mole, but in the Encyclopædia Britannica, P. Anatinus, or Duckbilled Platipus. It is found in the small pools of that interesting country, and may be considered, from its very curious formation, as the connecting link between the feathered tribe and quadruped species. It will be seen, on reference to the print, that it has the complete head and bill of a duck, and its feet webbed like that bird, while on the other hand, its body in shape resembles the mole, and is covered with a shining silky fur; the back of a dark brown, and the belly a much lighter colour, approaching that of the hare. From the end of the bill to the tip of the tail measures about nineteen inches; bill two, the tail four; the nostrils are placed more for ward than those of a duck; they are near the extremity of the bill, and we may therefore with reason conjecture that they are of great service in searching for its food, the eye also being very small. At the insertion of the bill there is a guard, which is wisely given to prevent laceration of the head by sharp stones, &e. when probing with its bill the crevices and chinks in the banks of rivulets; it resembles part of the hilt of a sword. Both the fore and hind feet are palmipedous, but the web of the former projects some length beyond the toes, while in the latter it reaches little lower than the insertion of the claws or nails; VOL. IX. N. S.-No. 50. if it Not the least among the remarkable peculiarities of this animal is its tail, which in form greatly resembles that of the beaver; the hair on it crossing in all directions, causes any substance to adhere; the under part of the tail is bare. The above particulars vary much from the description given by Dr. Shaw, in his Zoology; but we suspect he had but an indifferent specimen before him, the length of the animal being stated by him to be, from the top of the beak to that of the tail, thirteen inches; whereas the one in our possession was nineteen inches, and it was finely preserved. In the plate we have introduced the grass tree, of which the natives make their spears; it grows twelve feet high, and issues from a single tuft of grass, each tuft having but one stem. The present subject dart through the web of the fore was taken by a native striking a foot, so that the body was not in the least mangled. COURSING MEETINGS. LOUTH. TUESDAY, OCTOBER 30. THE various courses at this meeting were contested by dogs beL |