hole, covering our face with a handkerchief, to keep out the dust, as we pushed in feet foremost, lying on our back. It was soon perfectly dark, and there was scarcely room for the body to pass, so narrow was the entrance. The dust was suffocating, and so was the heat; but we glided down the inclined passage until, at the bottom, our feet rested on a harder substance. This was the head of a crocodile, and, lighting a taper, which scarcely burned in the dank air, we discovered an extraordinary scene, which shall be briefly described.

The crocodile-pit is of an oblong shape, perhaps two hundred feet in length, and forty broad, and of a depth not known. The whole had been filled, from the bottom to the ceiling, with bodies of crocodiles, preserved by filling them with creosote and spices, and by wrapping large sheets of matting round each carcase separately. These monster mummies had been there piled, one over another, until their bodies reached the roof; and it is calculated that the pits contain more than thirty thousand carcases thus entombed.

As the bodies dried, they shrunk a little, and thus a space was left between the top of the mass and the roof of the pit. It was into this space that we had come; but it was not high enough to allow us to walk, scarcely even to creep. As we scrambled over the crocodiles, the whole contents of the pit shook, and rose and fell with a springy motion. Often one of our feet, bursting through the covering of matting, went right into a body, which seemed to be full of black dust; and sometimes there were intervals between the carcases, so deep, that the light of our feeble taper could not show us the bottom. Many of the crocodiles were very small, being only a few feet long, while others were of enormous size, with their legs stretched out right and left, and their horny feet still as hard as if they had pressed the sand of the Nile only the day before.

Cats, dogs, cows, and birds innumerable, were buried in a similar manner by the ancient Egyptians, who worshipped all those animals and many more. Even a small beetle, called the "scarabæus," was divinely honoured by these poor Pagans. This insect is still found in Egypt, and deposits its eggs in a little ball of earth, which the beetle then rolls backwards with its hind feet to its nest. The Egyptians seem to have made this action of the insect a symbol of a god rolling the world into being. Models of this beetle are frequently found round the

necks of Egyptian mummies, and some large effigies of it may be seen in the British Museum, one of them being of stone and about four feet long.-Leisure Hour.

NORWEGIAN CHURCH-GOING.—AS we approached the house of God, it was evident that the people had already assembled, from the number of horses grazing in the woods near. The building was octagon-a favourite shape in this country and, as usual, of pine-logs coloured, or discoloured, black by the weather. The same pine-logs appeared in the interior, only less dark in tint. Though the building was large, and provided with galleries, nearly every seat was occupied. A motley assemblage was there. Norwegian bonders, in their grey wadmal suits, sat on the south side of the church; on the north their wives and daughters, with the never-absent black silk cap "lue," fastened under the chin, woollen dresses, fitting closely up to the throat, and a kerchief of some bright silk passed twice round the neck, and tied in a large knot behind the ears. Such are the spring, summer, autumn, and winter fashions of the people. Lower down the aisle and up in the galleries, were the diminutive Laps, dressed in their summer suit, a dingy flannel blouse, ornamented with edging and shoulder-straps of red and yellow. From their leathern belts depended large knives. Fin-women, too, were not wanting, conspicuous by their caps, like truncated cones, adorned with gold and silver lace and bright-coloured ribands. These tiny people contrasted strangely with the bulkier Norwegians. Here were the blue eyes and fair hair of the descendants of the Vikings, with countenances solemn and sedate. There the gleaming, deep-set orbs, high cheekbones, elf-locks, and scanty beards of the inferior race. Some of these intently watched the service with a look of mingled curiosity and fanaticism; while others stared around so wildly and fiercely, that one might fancy they would draw their long knives, and set up a wild war-whoop. Most of these Laps or Fins (they are called by both names) were still nomads, living upon the fjeld summer and winter. Their encampments were on the adjoining mountain. Others were Sea-Fins, who, giving up a wandering life, have settled down by the fjords, and taken to fishing, and cultivating patches of bog or rock. These last are inferior to the former in appearance, and are generally poorer and worse off. In fact, they seldom thrive

away from the mountains. The instinct of roaming is so strong upon them, that, after trying a settled life for a time, they suddenly pack up what they can carry, and join their brethren on the fjeld. I have myself seen more than one dwelling, which it must have required much labour to build, entirely deserted. The number of Laps in Norway at the last census in 1847 was 14,464.-The Oxonian in Norway.

The

THE SOUNDINGS FOR THE ATLANTIC TELEGRAPH.-Years ago people asked, Cui bono? when thousands were expended on expeditions the only returns of which were a handful of shells and a few casts of the deep-sea lead; yet it is on the accuracy of these returns that the project is now being hazarded. bottom of the sea has been carefully surveyed and mapped, with all its variety of mountain and prairie-land, its telegraphic plateau, and its deep hollows, where no lead has ever found bottom. The soil, too, from the bottom has been brought up and analysed, and has revealed many curious phenomena pertaining to these sunless depths. The ocean-bed of the North Atlantic is a curious study; in some parts furrowed by currents, in others presenting banks, the accumulations, perhaps, of the débris of these ocean-rivers during countless ages. To the west, the Gulf Stream pours along in a bed from one mile to a mile and a half in depth. To the east of this, and south of the Great Banks, is a basin, eight or ten degrees square, where the bottom attains a greater depression than perhaps the highest peaks of the Andes or Himalaya, -six miles of line have failed to reach the bottom. Taking a profile of the Atlantic basin in our own latitude, we find a far greater depression than any mountain-elevation on our own continent. Four or five Alleghanies would have to be piled on each other, and on them added Fremont's peak, before their point would show itself above the surface. Between the Azores and the mouth of the Tagus this decreases to about three miles. Further north there is an apparent decrease of depth, with increasing regularity of bottom, though it is problematical whether this is not owing to the greater accuracy with which these observations have been conducted. This apparent rise has been called the "Telegraphic Plateau." This appears to be the natural route for the Transatlantic Telegraph. Other plans have been proposed one a northing circuit, between the several points of Scotland, Iceland,

Greenland, and the Labrador coast, each span being some five hundred miles; or to use one or two of the island-groups of the Atlantic. In the route selected we have many advantages-convenient harbours at either terminus; a depth of water a every point sufficient to place the wire beyond the reach of any surfacecauses, such as ice or the anchor of any ship, yet not at an impracticable depth, being at the shoalest several hundred feet, and in mid-Atlantic not materially over two miles. During a thousand miles of its course, the gradual depression of the ocean-bed does not exceed five hundred fathoms. On either side lie Ireland and Newfoundland, the breastworks of either continent, approaching within seventeen hundred miles, and forming the natural terminus of its route. Trinity-Bay is its western head, and Valentia-Bay, on the south-western point of Ireland, its eastern. This, then is the bed on which the telegraphic cable is to lie, an unbroken prairie-land, extending from continent to continent. Let us now see the nature of this bed.

Specimens of the bottom, when subjected to a powerful glass, exhibit delicate shells and infusoria, fragile as if carved in eggshell, and yet as perfect in all their delicate formation as any of the more durable works of nature. The least attrition would crumble all this to powder. The inference is, that all agitation of winds and currents is confined to the surface, and that at these sunless depths the great mass of water remains in almost a quiescent state; and that the telegraphic wire, if once laid in safety, would lie for ever beyond the reach of harm, sinking among and covered by these fleecy particles. All this may be incorrect; but we have strong reasons for the supposition. If so, can it ever be laid in safety? Some abortive efforts at deep-sea soundings furnish curious data for our belief in its practicability. Miles of a small iron wire, not thicker than a child's little finger, were actually laid at the bottom of the ocean, and recovered unbroken, at a considerably greater depth than any found on the plateau. The modus operandi of laying the cable was here performed with a wire of but a fractional part of the strength and fitness of that proposed. The wire laid by the British in the Black Sea was, however, not of greater size or strength than this. The experiment of laying the wire is performed in deep-sea sounding whenever a wire is substituted for the ordinary soundingline. With the depth known, with the character of the bottom known, with a

cable as plastic as rope, yet with a tenacity capable of sustaining four miles of its length in air, and almost any extent in water, with four of the finest ships in the world for laying it, and aided by the dearly-bought experience gained in the submersion of half-a-dozen other lines, we have every reason for our belief that the Atlantic Telegraph will be a success. -New-York Times.

SINGING-BIRDS IN THE TROPICS. -The birds of the Tropics have been described as generally wanting in power of song. I was decidedly of opinion that this was not applicable to many parts in Loanda, though birds there are remarkably scarce. Here the chorus, or body of song, was not much smaller in volume than it is in England. It was not so harmonious, and sounded always as if the birds were singing in a foreign tone. Some resemble the lark, and, indeed, there are several of that family; two have notes not unlike those of the thrush. One brought the chaffinch to my mind, and another the robin; but their songs are intermixed with several curious abrupt notes unlike anything English. One utters deliberately, "peek, pak, pok;" another has a single note like a stroke on a violin-string. The mokwa reza gives

forth a screaming set of notes like our blackbird when disturbed, then concludes with what the natives say is "pula, pula," (rain, rain,) but more like “weep, weep, weep." Then we have the loud cry of francolins, the "pumpuru, pumpuru" of turtle-doves, and the "chiken, chiken, chik, churr, churr," of the honeyguide. Occasionally, near villages, we have a kind of mocking-bird, imitating the calls of domestic fowls. These African birds have not been wanting in song, they have only lacked poets to sing their praises, which ours have had from the time of Aristophanes downwards. Ours have both a classic and a modern interest to enhance their fame. In hot dry weather, or at midday, when the sun is fierce, all are still: let, however, a good shower fall, and all burst forth at once into merry lays and loving courtship. The early mornings and the cool evenings are their favourite times for singing. There are comparatively few with gaudy plumage, being totally unlike, in this respect, the birds of the Brazils. The majority have decidedly a sober dress, though collectors, having generally selected the gaudiest as the most valuable, have conveyed the idea that the birds of the Tropics for the most part possess gorgeous plumage.-Dr. Livingstone.

RECENT ANNIVERSARIES.

BRITISH AND FOREIGN BIBLE SOCIETY.-Sketch of Report presented at the Anniversary Meeting. The narrative of foreign operations commenced, as usual, with France. The circulation of the past year, in that country, was 85,886 copies; and the spiritual results surpassed those of any former period. In Belgium, a civil war was threatened at the commencement of the year, in consequence of the growing encroachments of the Church of Rome; but this danger had passed over, and the issues exceeded those of previous years by 8,028 volumes. In Holland, the issues amounted to 23,233, exceeding those of the previous year by 2,500. Regret was expressed that, in that country, the Scriptures had ceased to be the basis of instruction in the Government schools. The rapid extension of the circulation in Germany had attracted the attention of the Committee throughout the year. Germany had received from the Society during the year, at the great centres of action, Berlin, Cologne, and Frankfort, 296,607 copies of the Scriptures; being an excess of 101,245 over the circulation of the previous year. The agent at Frankfort had visited Baden, Wurtemberg, and other parts of Germany, and had drawn most favourable conclusions with regard to the prospects of the work. In Denmark there had been an increased circulation. In Sweden, the increased circulation of the previous year, instead of satisfying the appetite for the Scriptures, had only stimulated an increased demand. The Bible had formed a centre of attraction to all classes, from the Baron to the peasant, from the General to the soldier, and from the Bishop to the village-schoolmaster. The circulation of last year was 86,562. Norway continued to receive considerable supplies; and these amounted, within the year, to 19,416 copies. The Committee regretted that, owing to the obstructions which still existed, Russia occupied a brief space in their Report; but they hoped this state of things would not continue long. During the year, 12,290 copies had been circulated at St. Petersburg. At Odessa, the restrictions imposed during the war had not yet been relaxed, and the people were placed beyond the pale of the Scriptures. The German colonies on the Sea of Azoff continued to receive the word of God, and the issues there

amounted to 4,753 copies. Spain still remained an inaccessible region to the friends of Bible-distribution. In Switzerland and Northern Italy the labours of the agents had been continued, and the circulation was 35,369 volumes. Sardinia continued to be a most promising field of labour, and the circulation amounted to 13,607 copies, which exceeded that of the previous year by about 2,000. Monsieur Madiai, the agent of Nice, gave an encouraging account of the estimation in which the Scriptures were there held. In Malta and Greece the issues amounted to 8,398. In Turkey there were many evidences of a spirit of inquiry among the Moslems, and the prospects were encouraging. The issues from the depôt at Constantinople, inclusive of 2,761 copies circulated by colportage in Bulgaria, amounted to 25,280; being an increase of 7,768. Under the head of India, it was observed that the Committee had opened a special fund, the necessity of which was evident from the fact that extraordinary efforts were about to be made by the various Missionary Societies. The aggregate circulation in India up to the present time was not more than 2,500,000, and these were chiefly portions of the Scriptures. The issues of the year at Calcutta were 39,528 copies. Mention was made of the death of the late Bishop Wilson, who, it was said, as a last token of his attachment to the Bible Society, bequeathed to it the sum of £100. The Society station at Agra was involved in the general destruction, and the depôt was a blackened ruin; but the destruction had not extended to the zeal, faith, and hope of those who were engaged in promoting the circulation of God's word in that part of India. At Madras, the issues of the year amounted to 68,679 copies. As regarded China, it was stated, in the next place, that though Canton and Hong-Kong had during the past year afforded little scope for the circulation of the Scriptures, the work had prospered at Shanghai and Amoy. From Australia there had been remitted during the year £5,144, of which £1,130 had been sent as a free contribution to the Society's funds. 15,000 copies of the Scriptures had been despatched thither from London. The issues of the British colonies of North America amounted within the year to 60,000 copies. Under the head "Domestic "mention was made of the presentation of a Bible through

The receipts of the year ending March 31st, 1858, have exceeded those of any preceding year (excluding the special funds). The amount applicable to the general purposes of the Society is £79,040. 16s. 2d., and the amount received for Bibles and Testaments £70,267. 10s. Ild.; making the total receipts from the ordinary sources of income £149,308. 7s. Id., being £11,551. 12s. 2d. more than in any former year.

To the above must be added the sum of £1,379. 13s. 7d. for the Chinese NewTestament Fund, and £1,886. 2s. 10d. for the Special Fund for India; making a grand total of £152,574. 3s. 6d.

The issues of the Society for the year are as follows From the depôt at home, 976,563; from the depôts abroad, 625,624; total, 1,602,187 copies; being an increase of 84,329 copies over those of the preceding year.

The total issues of the Society now amount to 33,983,946 copies.

The ordinary payments have amounted to £146,563. 5s. 1d., and the payments on account of the Jubilee and Chinese New-Testament Funds to £6,613. 19s. 7d.; making the total expenditure of the year to amount to £153,177. 4s. 8d., being £4,136. 10s. 11d. more than in any former year. The Society is under engagements to the extent of £83,818. 178. 4d.

CHURCH MISSIONARY SOCIETY. The Rev. J. Venn read the Report, which detailed at great length the operations of the Society, and announced a large increase of receipts, in comparison with former years. The total ordinary income (including a donation of £10,000 given by a single individual at the last Annual Meeting) amounted to £130,766. This amount was exclusive of the sum of £24,717, which, up to the 31st of March last, had been raised as a special fund for India. The ordinary expenditure amounted to £129,321; leaving a balance in hand of £1,444. The local funds raised in the Missions, and expended there upon the operations of the Society, but independently of the general fund, were estimated at £9,915; so that the grand total

of sums received at home and abroad on account of the Society's Missions amounted to more than £160,000. The number of the Society's stations is 138, as compared with 136 last year. Number of Clergymen-English, 128; foreigners, 50; natives and East Indians, 47; total, 225. European laymen, schoolmasters, lay agents, printers, &c., 42; European female Teachers (exclusive of Missionaries' wives), 13; native and countryborn Catechists and Teachers of all classes, 2,077.

The Bishop Designate of Calcutta proposed the following Resolution :—

"That while this Society recognises its sacred obligations towards its Missions in Africa, China, and other lands, where the Lord has signally owned and blessed its labours, yet it regards India, under the restored supremacy of British rule, as possessing a special claim upon its enlarged exertions and expenditure for the conversion of its various tribes to the faith of Christ.”

It is my earnest desire, (he continued,) that the representatives of this Society in the diocese of Calcutta, and myself, should each, in our respective spheres, co-operate cordially and loyally in this one great work of preaching Christ to the Heathen. But, my Lord, it will not suffice that this work go on in India only the Church in England, as well as the Church abroad, must feel and appreciate its greatness, and devote itself heartily to its advancement. And here, I trust, I may so far yield to the impulse of a warm private friendship of many years' standing, as to reciprocate the kind words in which the Right Rev. Prelate who has spoken commended me to your prayers, by saying how happy I feel that, in quitting England, I leave the first and the most important of our home bishoprics in the hands of one who is preeminently imbued with the spirit of selfsacrifice for Christ. He, at least, will never countenance the unhappy delusion which some persons now express, that, because there are thousands of persons living in various parts of this country, and more especially in this diocese, in a state of virtual Heathenism, therefore we ought to delay or neglect the duty of carrying Christianity to the actual Heathen, or that the extension of Christianity in England is retarded by the means which are adopted, and the money that is spent, in diffusing it in India. On the contrary, he feels, as I am sure all present feel, that while we are discharging our duty faithfully, and earnestly, and wisely, God is blessing us in the discharge of