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New Zealand Herald, Volume XXVIII, Issue 8482, 5 February 1891, Page 5

The anniversary of the birthday of the poet Burns was commemorated in Dunedin by a dinner, under the auspices of the Caledonian Society. The chair was 'occupied by Mr. Arthur J. Burns, who is the grandson of Gilbert Burns, the poet's brother. The chairman, in proposing" The Fatherland," proceeded to refer .to his having, when on his visit home, visited the scenes depicted by the poet, travelling from Maidenkirk to John o' Groats, and he asked whether it would be thought that it was reserved for a man who had travelled 16,000 miles to save the cottage near the Doon from destruction —whether it would be thought that but for the action of himself and a granddaughter of the poet thatr cottage would now be as if it had never been. He explained how there was a danger of the cottage being destroyed, and how his cousin, Mrs. Everett, and he, managed by their humble efforts to put the cottage in a position such that it would nob be possible for a living being ever to touch a straw. It was not that either of them launched out their worldly means to do it, but they simply went to the secretary of the association, and told him that if the association did not save the property from being destroyed they would do it, and they so raised the enthusiasm of that body that they managed to secure the cottage, to free it from debt, and to put it in such a way that it could not now be touched. It appears that a New York doctor has entered upon quite a new departure— namely, a crusade against those abominable nuisances mosquitoes and common house flies. His scheme involves the extensive cultivation of the dragon fly—or devil's darning needle, as it is sometimes called— and let the said dragon fly prey on the flies and mosquitoes. The mosquito is known to' fly at the approach of the dragon fly— and for good reason, since the dragon fly is reported to have a capacity for mosquitoes that is quite alarming— a day or thereabouts. ' As for house flies, the dragon fly takes them in by the hundred. < Dr. Lamborn shows that if only the dragon fly was properly encouraged, ib would only be a few years before the house fly, and the mosquito, and dear alone knows how many other insects of like character, would be as extinct as the mastodon, the phoenix, or the unicorn. And since the dragon fly is quite harmless, eating himself when he can find noaother insect to devour, there seems to be <no reason why he should not be encouraged. \ Lately, at Chichester, a farmer was fined £100 and costs for having scabby sheep, ana failing to treat them for that disease.