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Otago Daily Times, Issue 1171, 3 October 1865, Page 5

The Lions and Lynxesof Ukuxi.—Lions nnd lynxes are considered the sole property of the Sultan, and form part of his right nnd revenue. When cirrted in, la<hed on a frame on men's shoulders, and placed at his door, drums are beat, the women shouS, great excitement prevai s, and a dance usually lakes place about the carcase. I had the curiosity to measure the length of one lion, and found it was three steps from the root of the tail to the nose; and, ia passing round, I was said lo have subjected myself to a fine of two fathoms of calico, but this I refused, and never did pay, because I had not stepped over it. The putrid flesh is cut in pieces, ani boiled by the Sulfcin in person. All the grease is preserved as valuable nngic medicine, the tail and paws are hung over his doorway, and the skin, skilfully pegged out in the sun to dry, is prepared for the Sultan's wear, as no one else dure use it. The color of a young male lion was a pale ochre, with distinct dark spots on his hind le^s. The lynx is even, more highly prized than the lion, though only the size of, and a little heavier than, an English fox, with a stumpy, short, enrk'd back dog tail, and tips ot hair to hi.i black ears. lie has immense, powerful, thickly fortnel little aims, great length of body, and ia said by the natives to kill even the lion and buffalov This I bt'ltevc, for it gives one the idea of bulldog courage. lie is said to watch hi* prey from a tree. The color of the lynx is a dusty red, indistinctly spotted, a perfect cat's head, white round the eyes and underneath .he body. The ceremony observed on the arrival of either a lion or lynx is curious. The Sul'an, Sultana, and the Sultan's wife next in rank, sit on Btoola placed in the open air, with the dead animal in front of them, the crowd all round, squatted or standing. A email lump of serpent: dung 13 made into n paste with water upon a stone. Spots of this white ointment are placed by the Sultan's own hands upon tlie forehead, chest, tips of the shoulders, instep, and palms of the hanris of himself and the two wives; and drums and danciug continue afterwards for some hours.— A Walk across Africa, by Captain J. A. Grant

In the town of , in Connecticut, lived an eccentric character, Squire S- , noted for his oddity and ningul»r speeches. The town -hearse, having by long use got in'o a dilapidated condition, it wa3 determined to get up a public subscription t» repair it. In due time, the committee called on Squire S , and asked him to subscribe for the object. " No!" says the Squire : " I won't give a single cent. TVmty years a^o I subscribed five dollars to build the old thing, and neither my family, nor myself, ever had any use for it from that diy to this, and I won't give & cent to rep :'- it!" —" Editors Oraioer," in Harper's *.-.'<:; v Monthly Magazine. Tkaviat.v is Paris.—A new feitureof Parisian society is that in the year of grace* 1865, the demi-monde ladies iasue. invitations for a ball.or fete, exactly, after the fishion of ladies of the Court; and there is nothing which is to be found at the hotels of these grandes dames which the " half-great lady " does not imitate.- May I be permitted to add a few nates about one of these traviata fetes given on Monday evening? Healthy horror and disgust will ha daintily led, propriety made more proper, and curiosity alimented on. a tonis which ought to cure. Well, at Mademoiselle C——'a (the Aspasia of Paris li!e) ball all the prettiest actreaaes were presant, and displayed jewels lace, and coatly finery such as are rarely seen even at Court, and cerfcaiuly oespeaiis the wonderful liberality of European paymasters. . By these tractate ladies, who nevertheless in Paris lead the fashion, crinoline is now completely tabooed. Their bail dresses are made somewhat in the style of the First Empire, or the BngHsit fashion of 1811, with the skirt confined," and the body cut extremely low both in front and back, while the train is wont very long. The salons of Mademoiselle C— ■ —, who did the honors, with clever imitative grace and elegance, were crowded ■with princes, dukes, marquises, counte —in. fact, with the same male company as onc^ meets at the parties of the Princess Metternicb. aud Madame Drouyn de Lhuys. Some English peers aaa membtra of Parliament were present, ana appeared to enjoy the animated ami dazzliagly improper scene. Oa the second floor the supper tables were loaded witk. every delicacy of the season. Choice Yquem, Johannisberg, Laffitte, Tokay, and champagne of the finest vintaaea were served most Javnhlv throughout me night. Alter supper dancing was resumed with increased animation, and the ball torminntcd with a chain diabdiique and a cancan oVenfer, at sjveu in the morning. Sines the days of the Regency such, a Sardana!palian entertainment of such 'a, cHa£9; bos not Wn given in Pf iris.