THE LAKES.

Otago Witness, Issue 744, 3 March 1866, Page 7

THE LAKES.

(From the Conesno'ident of the Dunstan Times.) Queenstown, 21st Feb. The escorts this week are above the average, and the effects of the late flood have been in most cases set right by this time, so that mining news generally may be considered satisfactory. Shares in various quartz claims have been changing hands at high figures; four of the original proprietors of the Scandinavian sold out last week at Ll,loo a man, and the Vulcan Company are said to have obtained a handsome sum for their leasehold. The Criterion Company, ArrowRiver, are pushing on their works, and have nearly completed the darn. Shares are quoted at L4O, with a tendency to rise.

Large area 9 of latd are being taken up for agricultural purposes. Upwards of 500 acres have been applied for during the last wreckw r eek in this and the Arrow districts. A flour mill is about to be erected at the Falls of Kawarau, near the Hospital, so that next year, we may hope to raise our own necessaries of life, without troubling the merchants below, or waiting on the dilatory dray.

M.Bert has been trying some curious experiments upon the subject of engrafting portions of animal tissues. Some of these we recorded at the time of their first publication, but now a second paper has apI peared, in which, among others, the folI lowing curious experiment is described : — The tail of a full- grown rat was separated from the body, and, having been placed ia a glass tube, was maintained at a temperature of from 7 to 8 degs Centigrade for a period of seventy- two hours. It was then stripped of the membrane covering its base, and was inserted beneath the skin of another full-grown rat. Strange to say, it took root, and grew as peifcctly from ths back of the second rate as if it had heeu connected with its true proprietor. To prove that it was nourished in the proper manner, M. Bert killed the second rat three months after the operation, and injected coloured fluid into its aorta. Upou then examining the engrafted tail, he found that the coloured matter had penetrated into the marrow ot the vertebral bones, thus showing that a connection had taken place between the unwilling host and the tissues of his strange guest.

A beautiful bouquet was presented to her Royal Highness the Piincess of Wales on her birthday, consisting of scarlet and white flowers of the Danish colors, with letters ia flowers in the centre representing the month, day, and year, the whole being surmounted with choice lace, arranged by Mr Harding, of Maddox street.