to be made into the nature of the malady. From Mr. Wallace, of Kelly, a well-known adept in sporting matters in this immediate neighbourhood, several grouse, in a state of complete emaciation, were sent to town. These were carefully dissected by one of our medical friends, and the disease found in all of them to be tape-worm. It is quite astonishing to observe the extent to which this disease can exist in the feathered tribe before causing death. In several instances the middle intestines were literally crammed with the worm, so as to render it difficult to conceive how any nourishment could pass along the alimentary canal to support the animal. Mr. Wallace has one of these worms in his possession. It is a bunch of several inches long, and about the thickness of 3-8ths of an inch. This thickness is composed of some hundred folds of the animal, of a pale colour, and beautifully and regularly jointed, possessing, indeed, all the characteristics of the tenia frequently found in the human body, only of a smaller size.

Some years ago, when a similar disease was prevalent, Mr. Wallace caused many specimens to be examined, and in some of them life had been protracted in the animals even after the worms had penetrated in the intestines, twisted round their outer coats, and produced such extensive suppuration in the cavity of the abdomen, that the intestines literally floated in pus

or matter.

Mr. Wallace attributes this dreadful malady, and the occasional scarcity or plentifulness of game generally, to one and the same cause, viz. a continuance of damp and wet weather, with little sunshine, during the spring and summer months; or, as his

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own words gave it- Game, like wheat, will abound in proportion to the heat of the season, and the continued brilliancy of the sun." Mr. Wallace is aware that this opinion is at variance with the generally received one of the older sportsmen ; but a laborious series of observations made by himself have confirmed him in the accuracy of the remark. The sporting men of other days affirmed that dry summers cause death to game for want of water: Mr. Wallace thinks that with warm nights there cannot be too much sun or too little rain, and this for any species of game in the west of Scotland, for in such weather heavy dews never fail to supply their wants.

To suggest a cure for this evil (when we have to do with the untamed and uncontrolled tenants of the moors) is obviously next to impossible. The disease can be cured in domesticated animals, it is true; and in small preserves, perhaps, some means might be taken to induce the birds to eat of food imbued with so much turpentine, or other substances known to be destructive to the worms, as to effect their removal.

It is always, however, gratifying, and can never be useless, to trace effects to their causes, or even causes from their effects; and a hint like what we have been enabled to give on this subject may, from the assistance of science and research, added to the enthusiasm of some genuine sportsman, one day, perhaps, lead to some easy means of preventing the recurrence of this wasteful disease to a class of creatures, whose existence in health and abundance is alike necessary to the enjoyment of our sportsmen in the field, and to most of us in the afternoon, when there are few things more to be desired than a

L

sound bit of game, just when you cannot eat anything else, and when, if you did, you would do yourself no good by the indulgence. Greenock Advertiser.

THE ORIGIN OF HORSE-RACING -EPSOM RACES, &c.-The following is a short extract from The History of Epsom, an interesting work recently published:-"When Epsom races first commenced we have not been able with certainty to trace. Few writers who mention the district do more than simply state the fact that horseraces are annually held at Epsom. The first information that we have of horse-racing in this country is in the reign of Henry II.; there can be no doubt that Epsom Downs early became the spot upon which the lovers of racing indulged their fancy, and perhaps the known partiality of James I. for this diversion will justify us in ascribing their commencement to the period when he resided at the Palace of Nonsuch, near Ewell; and his reign may be fairly stated as the period when horse-racing became a general and national amusement. They were then called bell-courses, the prize being a silver bell, and the winner was said to bear or carry the bell. The first Arabian which had ever been known in England as such, was purchased by the Royal jockey of a Mr. Markham, a merchant, at the price of £500. During the civil wars the amusements of the turf were partially suspended, but not forgotten, for we find that Mr. Place, stud-master to Cromwell, was proprietor of the famous horse White Turk, and several capital brood mares, one of which, a great favourite, he concealed in a vault during the search after Cromwell's effects at the time of the Restoration, from which circumstance she took the

name of the coffin mare, and is designated as such in various pedigrees. King Charles II., soon after his restoration, re-established the races at Newmarket, which had been instituted by James I. He divided them into regular meetings, and substituted both there and at other places silver cups or bowls of the value of £100 for the royal gift of the ancient bells. William III., though not fond of the turf, paid much attention to the breed of horses for martial purposes, and in his reign some of the most celebrated stallions were imported. George, Prince of Denmark, obtained from his royal consort, Queen Anne, grants of royal plates for several places. In the latter end of the reign of George I. the change of the royal plates into purses of 100 guineas took place. In the time of George II. there were many capital thoroughbred horses in England, the most celebrated of which were the famed Arabians, Darley and Godolphin-from the former descended Flying Childers. To continue a list of celebrated horses would exceed our limits, we shall therefore close with a brief account of the famous Eclipse. This horse was first the property of the Duke of Cumberland, and was foaled during the great eclipse in 1764; he was withheld from the course till he was five years old, and was first tried at Epsom. He once ran four miles in eight minutes, carrying 12st., and with this weight he won eleven King's plates. He was never beaten, never had a whip flourished over him, or felt the tickling of a spur, nor was he ever for a moment distressed by the speed or rate of a competitor, outfooting, outstriding, and outlasting every horse which started against him. When the races on Epsom Downs were first held periodically, we

have not been able to trace with accuracy, but we find that from the year 1730 they have been annually held; for a long period, they were held twice in every year; it was then customary to commence at eleven o'clock, return into the town to dinner, and finish the evening; but this ar rangement has been long discontinued."

TIGER FIGHT.-I shall conclude my letter with an account of an adventure which I met with a few days since. Towards the latter end of last month I arrived at the banks of Ganges, opposite to the Gurmukhtesor Ghaut, on my return from Bareilly, whither I had been dispatched with Treasure. The place of encampment was close to the river, and nearly surrounded by jungle. In the middle of the night my slumbers were disturbed by loud shouts, proceeding from my servants, who, on my running to the door of the tent, directed my attention to a couple of tigers, which by the assistance of a bright moonshine I could distinctly perceive.

They

were making for the jungle, and one had on its back what appeared to be a bullock, the other followed close after. I immediately took the determination of proceeding towards that part of the jungle in which they disappeared. Having well armed myself and two of the stoutest-hearted of my servants, I sallied forth, but had not gone far when the most violent roaring became audible. I then felt convinced that the combat, which I from the first anticipated, had now commenced. I hurried on in the direction from which the sounds came, and these became

every moment louder, and I may say more terrific. I approached, as near as I prudently could, the place, which I found to be an open spot surrounded with jungle, near to the edge of which I posted myself. The tigers were on their hind legs, fighting with the most determined fury, striking each other with their fore paws, any one blow of which would, I imagine, have been sufficient to smash the head of a human being. All this was accompanied by roaring, and lashing of tails, and "the give and take" lasted for three or four minutes, affording no bad representation of western pugilism. At last they rolled together on the ground, when after a severe struggle one seized his adversary by the neck, and, judging from the increased roaring which followed immediately afterwards, must have inflicted a severe wound. This decided the combat, the other disengaging itself and skulking off to a short distance, whilst the victorious one seized upon the bullock. Nothing could be finer or more imposing than the appearance of the latter tiger as it rested its fore paws on the animal, lashing its tail and growling, whilst watching its enemy. This shortly after disappeared. It was my turn to try. I fired; but only struck it on the side, and before I could reload the wary beast retreated with the bullock, leaving me to "plod my weary way homewards" with the mortifying reflection that I was not yet to be numbered amongst the "happy few" who smoke their hookahs on that most enviable of trophies -a tiger's skin.-JOHN BULL.— Meerut, August 12, 1828.