very disastrous effects. The viper, however, must not be mistaken for the snake. If, however, any person is in doubt whether a viper or snake is before him, let him act on the safe side, and treat the creature with that caution advisable to be adopted towards a venomous reptile.

A viper even when apparently dead is not to be handled with impunity, as we heard of a clergyman in the Isle of Wight who having, as he thought, killed a viper, then placed his finger in its mouth to examine the fangs. The viper, by apparently a nervous action, closed his jaws, bit the gentleman, and nearly caused his death. Brandy in abundance, and being kept from stupor by strong exercise, alone saved him.

Prim'-i-tive, ancient, belonging to

early times.

Prox-im'-i-ty, close by, near to.

Pe-des'-tri-an, one who performs a
journey on foot.
E-man-ci-pāt'-ed, set free.

DICTATION EXERCISE.

The naturalist who has occasion to make a voyage over the warmer regions of the ocean, is continually delighted by the sight of numberless forms of animals, principally of the lower invertebrate classes, which either habitually swim at the surface of the sea, or come thither at intervals to enjoy the stimulus of the atmospheric air. Many of these are exceedingly curious and interesting; many totally unlike any forms that occur on the shores of temperate countries; many elegant in contour, and adorned with brilliant colours.

A RAMBLE IN THE NEW FOREST.-PART II.

NEARLY eight hundred years ago the body of Rufus, as we have said, was found in the New Forest by Purkis, the charcoal-burner. The wanderer in the New Forest may now meet a Purkis whose occupation is probably the same as was that of his ancestors

viz. that of a charcoal-burner. In the forest, within a mile of Boldre Wood, our attention was attracted by the smell of the acid that comes from baked wood, and shortly after we saw smoke and vapour arising from an artificial fence of faggots. Near this fence was a hut, looking like the wigwam of an Indian. We had come upon a charcoal-burner at his work. So thoroughly wild was the scene, so completely did it seem unlike anything in modern civilisation, that we could almost imagine that Tyrrell's arrow and Rufus's body might next come before us.

Here is the charcoal-burner's hut. It is primitive, but efficient. It is formed first by placing a number of poles in a circle at the base, and closing them at the top. Across this top a few horizontal sticks are laid, and on these some thick turf sods. The sides of the hut are also covered with sods, the upper overlapping the lower, so as to keep the wet from penetrating. The opening at the top allows the smoke of the interior fire to escape. Inside the hut are a few branches, piled one above the other. On these branches some hay and dried fern are scattered, and thus a bed is formed. A saucepan and tin plate are beside the fireplace, and what more can a man desire ? for a little stream that runs near the hut is banked up, so that water is handy.

Those who admire magnificent timber should pay a visit to the New Forest. Oak and beech trees of enormous size here flourish; they are of such dimensions that were they in one of the London parks they would be looked upon as wonders. The largest beech with which we are acquainted in the New Forest is in Eyeworth Wood; it is locally known as the

King Beech, and certainly is a grand tree. The trunk of the tree at the lowest part is fourteen feet two inches in circumference. At about thirty feet from the ground the stem is about fourteen feet in circumference. The topmost twigs are ninety-eight feet from the ground, and the branches extend eighty feet from side to side.

At Eyeworth there is a gunpowder manufactory which manufactures Schultze's powder, and near it is a celebrated ancient well known as "Irons Well."

The peculiarity of this well is that the water is strongly impregnated with iron, so strongly that the flavour of iron is quite perceptible when the water is tasted, and the water is supposed to possess medicinal effects. The well is prettily situated, with a small wood of beech and oak to the south, and a rippling stream to the north, in which grow alders and dog-wood. There are few more lovely bits of forest scenery in the world than may be seen in a walk from Bramshaw to Irons Well. Every variety of forest tree grows here in abundance-glades of oak, beech, and pine, whilst above these there is a distant view of the Southampton Water and the Isle of Wight to the south, and Wiltshire to the northwest.

Formerly, large herds of deer used to roam over this lovely forest, but an order was given that they were to be killed off. So that now there are scarcely more than twenty remaining, and these twenty are as wild as deer perpetually hunted always become. He must be indeed a silent walker, and of quick eye, who now catches sight of a deer in the forest; but those who are skilled in the science of the trail, and who can

distinguish the footprint of a deer from that of a pig, will soon discover that there are still a few wild deer remaining in the forest.

There are several pretty little rippling streams in the New Forest, along the banks of which a lover of nature may wander for hours. These streams turn and twist in all sorts of fantastic ways, now rushing over a shallow pebbly bed, now slowly circling in a dark pool, which is terminated by a tiny waterfall. Along the banks of these streams a great variety of ferns may be found, and, in fact, the New Forest is an admirable locality for the fern-collector to visit.

During the spring the nightingale is in abundance in the New Forest, as are also birds that are not common in many parts of England, such as the green woodpecker, the large brown and white owl, the harrier, and the honey-buzzard, whilst it is also rich in butterflies, moths, beetles, and flies.

There is a fly termed the New Forest fly which is particularly annoying to horses. Its bite is severe, and the fly is so tough that it can scarcely be killed even if pressed between the finger and thumb. Cattle are so worried by this insect that they at times rush about frantically as though half mad.

Another insect is one particularly obnoxious to pedestrians, and known as the New Forest tick. This creature is about the size of, and not unlike in appearance, the common house-bug. It lives in the grass and in the ferns of the forest, and clings to the pedestrian who passes it. As soon as it can do so, it buries its head in the skin of the traveller and begins to fill itself with his blood. When filled it becomes distended to the size of a bean, and then falls off;