expect to keep in tune in mounting up to F natural in alt. Zucarelli could not do it, and Miss Caroline should have profited by her failure. James Godfrey would never turn out a basso cantante of eminence. Miss Godfrey's voice wanted power, sweetness, and flexibility; and Fanny's cavatina, though without a fault, was without a beauty. These remarks, though they did not fail to come to the ears of the family, being imputed to envy, did not greatly annoy them.

It was not until the departure of Signor Guiseppe and his bassoon, that they felt all the inconveniences attendant upon the late jubilee. The patrons of the charity in whose behalf the music meeting had been convened, though it was proved very plainly upon black and white that not a fraction remained over the expenses, were not satisfied, and Mr Godfrey and his colleague became involved in disputes with them. Signora Zucarelli's donation, the only advantage which the charity derived, was pronounced to be very inadequate; since, if she had in reality received the enormous sums placed against her name, she ought to have sent thrice the amount. The difference of opinion between the giver and the receivers -the one an Italian adventurer, and the others substantial persons, accustomed to liberal subscriptions from the noblemen and gentlemen of the county--was not taken into consideration; and general belief was given to a report, that collusion existed between the vicar and his guests. The benefit for the bassoon player was treated as a fiction; and it must be confessed, that there were grounds for the supposition, that a part of the profits went to defray the extra expenses incurred during the festival by the vicar's family. Nor was this all. The appearance of amateur performers at a public concert, where money was actually taken at the doors, formed a fertile theme for scandal. The Godfreys, in return, descanted very freely on the impertinence and the ingratitude of their associates. Mrs Godfrey protested, with tears in her eyes, that her husband, what with one thing and another, the dreadful havoc committed in the

larder and the cellar, the heavy bills for coals and candles, the amazing outlay for sundries of all denominations, and the wear and tear of clothes and shoe-leather, was sorely out of pocket by this vexatious affair. It was discovered shortly afterwards, that Signor Amadius Zucarelli had taken a fancy to the finest Cremona, and Signora Giacinte had packed up some very valuable music-books in mistake with her own. There was no end to the dilapidation of the furniture, and it was found that the house would require painting and whitewashing throughout. Nevertheless, the music meeting formed a proud era in the lives of the Godfreys, and they would gladly have undertaken all its pains and penalties anew, for the sake of the gratification it afforded.

EIDER FOWLING.

THE rocks and sea-coasts of Norway, the rugged steeps and barren precipices of the Shetland, Orkney, and Feröe Islands, and the wild scenery of the Hebrides, are the abodes of numerous tribes of aquatic birds, as puffins, herons, cormorants, and eider fowl. The simple inhabitants of some of these secluded spots depend in a great measure upon these creatures for their food and clothing. The flesh of some is eaten when fresh, and some is salted for keeping the eggs are esteemed excellent food, though much too strong in their taste to be relished by persons unaccustomed to such delicacies; the skins of the eiderducks form under-clothing, which is proof against very severe cold; and, without any very material injury to the birds, a vast quantity of the finest down is collected from them annually. This invaluable substance is so firm and elastic, that a quantity which, when compressed, might be covered by the two hands, will serve to stuff a quilt or coverlet, which, together with extreme lightness,

possesses more warmth than the finest blanket. The importance of such a defence in the inhospitable climate of these exposed regions, may be well imagined. Accordingly, one of the chief employments of the inhabitants, is the collection of these indispensable articles; an occupation, in the pursuit of which the adventurous fowlers are often exposed to dangers, the bare idea of which would seem enough to deter the most courageous from the attempt, had not long practice rendered them almost insensible to fear. We shall give a short account of the method pursued on these occasions.

On the coast of Norway, there are many low and flat islands, upon which the birds, during their breedingseason, lay their eggs in great abundance: these the fowler approaches in his boat; leaving it moored to the rocks, he quietly examines the nests, which are made on the ground, constructed of sea-weeds, and lined with the finest down, which the female plucks from her own body. The eggs are generally four in number, of a pale-green colour, and somewhat longer than a common duck's egg. With great caution and gentleness, the fowler removes the female from the nest, and takes possession of the superfluous down and eggs, being careful, however, to leave one behind, lest the nest should be deserted. The patient bird endures this robbery with the greatest resignation, and immediately commences the reparation of her loss, by laying more eggs, and covering them with fresh down; in which latter office her faithful mate bears a part, and yields up his own plumage for the defence of their yet unhatched progeny. This operation is often repeated more than once upon the same nest. It is asserted that, although the birds will bear quietly this treatment from the hands of those to whom they are accustomed, the appearance of a stranger is by no means acceptable, and that they testify their displeasure at the work of destruction by loud and fearful screams. This singular fact may perhaps be accounted for by the great kindness with which the natives treat them; so great, indeed, that in Iceland they have been almost rendered tame, and

will often build their nests close to the houses.

Their quiet and peaceable dispositions are also manifested by the circumstance, that two females will sometimes lay their eggs in the same nest, in which case they always agree remarkably well.

The ease and facility, however, with which the plundering of these nests is effected, are remarkably contrasted with the extreme danger to which the same occupation is exposed in other parts. The most precipitous and inaccessible rocks are often the chosen abodes of these winged creatures, where they remain in apparent security, seemingly far removed from man's rapacious hand. But who shall say what difficulties are so great, that patience and courage may not overcome them? The bold adventurer, inured to toil, with sinews well strung by constant labour, and animated by a spirit of dauntless courage, climbs the most rugged steep, surveys with coolness the most frightful precipices, and, trusting himself to ledges of rock scarcely large enough for the foot to rest on, loads himself with the hard-earned spoil, and returns to the bottom with as much indifference as ordinary men would descend a ladder.

A

The Holm of Noss, a vast rock separated by some violent convulsion of nature from the island of the same name-one of the Shetland group-presents remarkable difficulties to the bird-catchers. Its sides are extremely precipitous, its distance from the mainland is about sixteen fathoms, and the gulf between is occupied by a raging sea-yet have all these been overcome. kind of bridge of ropes is thrown across, by which the fowler, seated in a cradle, is drawn over, and commences his operations. The original formation of this bridge, if such it may be called, is somewhat remarkable. The rock had been long inaccessible, when at last an adventurer, bolder or more skilful than the rest, having landed at the base, contrived to scramble his way to the summit, after encountering incredible difficulties; his companions threw across to him a strong rope, which he made fast to several stakes previously driven firmly into the ground,

and the same was done by them on the opposite side; to this rope a basket or cradle was then attached, which, by means of cords fastened at either end, might be drawn backwards or forwards. The end of the story is truly tragical. Emboldened by his success, instead of returning by the means of conveyance he had thus provided, the unfortunate man determined to descend the rock where he had come up; but the task was too difficult even for his practised foot: one false step, and all was over; his mangled body at the foot of the rock too plainly attested the madness of the attempt.

But not always can even these means be had recourse to; it is often necessary to descend from the cloud-capped summit down the face of the naked precipice, to seek for nests hidden in the fissures of the stone. The reckless daring exhibited by the islanders on these occasions, has called forth the admiration and wonder of all who have had an opportunity of witnessing them. We subjoin the account given by Sir G. Mackenzie, of the method which the inhabitants of the Faroe Islands pursue in their search for puffins. When the rocks are so high and smooth as to render it impossible for the fowlers to ascend, they are let down by means of a rope from above. To prevent the rope from being cut, a piece of wood is placed at the verge of the precipice. By means of a small line, the fowler makes signals to those above, and they let him down or pull him up accordingly. When he reaches a shelf of the rock where the birds have their nest, he unties himself, and proceeds to take them. Sometimes he places himself on a projecting rock, and, using his net with great adroitness, he catches the birds as they fly past him-and this they call veining. This mode of catching birds is even practised while the fowlers are suspended. When a projection of rock is between the fowler and the place where the birds are, he swings himself from the rock so far that he turns round the projection. In this, great address and courage are requisite, as well as in swinging into a cavern. When he cannot, with the help of his pole, swing far enough, he lets down a line to