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Hawke's Bay Times, Volume 17, Issue 977, 25 March 1871, Page 2

The Melbourne Argus of the 4th inst., has the following :—" The Chinese lottery cases came before the City Bench yesterday, but in consequence of Mr K. D. Ireland, who, was retained for the defence, being engaged in another court, a postponement until Monday was granted, the defendants agreeing to pay the costs of the day, Two, of the defendants, named Dang Sing and Ah Chak, were charged with selling lottery tickets, while Gam Quong, Tock Moo, Ah Lin, Pong Xut, and Tock Gee, alias Nam "Wong, were accused of being beneficially interested in a lottery known as the Sluing Lee, No. 4 Bank, Little Bourke-street east. The lastnamed defendant, Tock Gee, is an interesting personage, with an historical reputation, being a sort of Celestial " Napoleon in exile." He was the leader of a national rebellion in China in 1852, being set up as a claimant to the thione of the Brother of the Sun or Moon, and before his defeat, he, in the capacity of a rival of the reigning sovereign, received homage from the inhabitants of several large districts. The alias Sam Wong signifies " The pretended Emperor," a title by which he is generally known to the gamblers and other Mongolian resident** in Little Bourke-street with whom he now consorts. In appearance lie is of the medium Chinese height, but sloops a good deal, is slightly built,, bright eyes,

and wears a white goatee and imperial. He is c aid to be 70 yeans old, and is allowed to wear hair on his face in virtue of being a grandfather. According to advices from the Empire City, there are now no less than three candidate* for the Superintendency of the Province of Wellington, viz., Mes>«rs. Fitzherbert, .Finnimore, and Masters. At a captain's meeting of the Oxford University Boat Club, it was unanimously resolved to challenge Cambridge to row the usual eight-oared race in the spring. The fixture has not yet been decided on, but in the ordinary course it will be Saturday, April 1. The trial eight-oared race which precedes the selection of the Oxford crew will shortly take place. The Cambridge trial eigh is have rowed their race, so that the president will now be in a position to select his crew. There is already considerable excitement at both Universities, and the this year promises to be a good one. The following instance of marvellous instinct in a pike, is extracted from CasselPs Wonders of Animal Instinct : —" When I lived at Durham (read Dr Warwick) I was walking one evening in a paik belonging to the Earl of Stamford, along the bank of a lake where fishes abounded, My attention vas turned towards a fine jack of about 61b.. which, seeing me, darted into the middle of the water. In its flight it struck its head against the stump of a post, fractured its skull, and wounded a part of the optic nerve. The animal gave signs of ungovernable pain, pI unged to the bottom of the water, burving its head in the mud, and turning with such rapidity that I lost it for a moment; then it returned to the top, and itself clean out of the water on to the bank. I examined the fish, and found that a small part of the brain had gone out through the fracture of the cranium. I carefully replaced the shattered brain, and, with a small silver tooth-pick, raised the depressed parts of the skull. The fr-'h was very quiet during the operation; then I replaced it in the pond. It seemed at first relieved, but after some minutes it threw itself about, plunged here and there, and at la-t threw itself once more out of the water. It continued thus ro act many times following. 1 called the keeper, and, with his assistance, applied a bandage to the fracture. This done, we threw the fish into the water, and left him to his fate. The next morning, when I appeared on the bank, the pike came to me near where I sat, and put his head near my feet! I thought the act ex traordinary; but taking up the fish, without any assistance on its part, I examined the head, and found that it was going on well. 1 then walked along the bank for some time. The fish did not cease to swim after me, turning when I turned; but as it was blind on the side where it was wounded, it appeared always agitated when the injured eye was turned towards the bank. On this, I changed the direction of my movements. The next day I brought some young friends to see the fish, and the pike swam towards me as before. Little by little he became so tame that he came when I whistled, and ate from my hand. With other people, on the contrary, it was as gloomy and fierce as it always had been."

"Trickdogs" are selected for their gifts, not for their appearance. With one exception every performing dog I have ever seen lias been a French poodle, or a mixture of " varieties.''" One of the cleverest acting dogs ever seen was a mongrel carriage dog which took the part of clown in the London music halls some few seasons ago. Punch's dogs were all curs ; so are the dancing dogs which generally accompany the hoar and the monkey. Ratcatchers, whose dogs display the most perfect training, are a combination of all breeds, the distinctive character of the race being ugliness, skill, and quick ness of apprehension and prehension. Truffle-dogs, which are said to be Spanish poodles, are decided mongrels, descended from one pair originally brought fit m Spain.—By " Idstone,', Gentleman's Magazine for December. What is it that you often drop, and sever stop to pick up ?•—A hint.