build. His forehead is high and his eyes beam with intelligence. He speaks with ease and fluency, and one would never tire of him.

Bishop Harkins has severed many ties in leaving Boston, but has accepted the charge of an important field which has warmly welcomed him.

The Porcupine Ant-Eater.

AN important question in natural history can now be answered. There are egg-laying mammals. This fact, which has long been believed by scientists, has finally been proved, and the link between mammals and birds, which, according to the saying that "Nature makes no jumps," must necessarily exist, has been found. It is worthy of note that Darwin was interested in this question.

August 25, 1884, Dr. Wilhelm Haacke, former assistant of Haeckel and director of the South Australian Museum in Adelaide, discovered that the porcupine ant-eater (Echidna hystrix) laid eggs, and the same

discovery was made a few days later by W. H. Caldwell, a young English naturalist who went to New Holland to study the development of animals of the duckbill species. The anatomical construction of these animals and their position in the zoological system has been a subject of discussion among naturalists, but they have finally been classed as mammals. The particular animal to which we wish to call attention (see accompanying cut, taken from the Illustrirte Zeitung) is the porcupine ant-eater (Echidna hystrix). It is the smallest of the monotremes,

and reminds one of the porcupine. Its body is plump, and its short legs are each provided with five strong toes armed with sharp nails, well adapted for burrowing. Its beak resembles closely that of the woodcock, being thin and tube-shaped. The mouth is very small, only large enough for the passage of the worm-like, rough-pointed tongue which can be extended some distance beyond the beak and is used for drawing in food (ants and other insects). No ears are visible, but there are hearing passages which can be opened and closed by folds of skin. The upper part of the body is covered with black, pointed quills, the roots of which are surrounded by short hair, and the head, legs, and other parts of the body are also covered with hair.

This ant-eater lives in mountainous districts and in high, dry woods in South Australia, where he burrows under the roots of the trees. In his hole he makes a nest which he lines with parts of plants. To protect himself from an enemy he rolls himself up like a porcupine.

Famous Irish Regiment and its Commander.

THE NEW YORK SIXTY-NINTH REGIMENT JUST BEFORE THE WAR. COURT MARTIAL OF COL. CORCORAN FOR REFUSAL

TO PARADE BEFORE THE PRINCE OF WALES.

THERE are many persons in Boston and vicinity, and no doubt, now, elsewhere, who will recall the occasion of the visit of Col. Michael Corcoran of the Sixty-Ninth Regiment New York S. N. G. to Boston in 1860-61. One of the '48 exiles, Col. Michael Doheny, was engaged to lecture on an evening that winter in Tremont Temple before the Fenians and Irish Nationalists of Boston. Pending the arrangements for this gathering the Prince of Wales arrived in New York, and as will be distinctly remembered the patriotic and brave Corcoran and his gallant command refused to parade to do honor to this then young scion of the House of the Guelphs and heir to the throne of Great Britain. He represented all that was hateful and repugnant to the Irish race in America. The revolutionary spirit among our people ran high. There was scarcely a man or officer in the New York Regiment that was not ready to form part of a martial legion to strike England, for her terrible wrongs perpetrated on Ireland, at any place or point where that common foe of our people could be advantageously assailed by force of arms.

The comity of nations demanded that royal hospitalities be extended to the son of Victoria, and so our national, State, and municipal governments fell into line with the objects - diplomatic of coursewhich induced the Downing Street authorities to "permit" the regal scion to visit our Republican shores, and mingle with the American. people, "limited" as the fastidious and rich corporations put it.

At this day and after all that has transpired, and in the light of the gravest experience, it is not difficult to realize what an ordeal the high

souled soldier Corcoran was put to, to do that which was so repugnant to his martial instincts, to refuse that obedience which is the "first duty of a soldier." But he and his noble band of New York's National Guard did refuse to obey the order to parade under arms, in the pomp and circumstance attending the visit of the Prince of Wales and his titled retinue to New York's metropolis, and trail their flag of green in honor before these representatives of Ireland's hereditary enemy.

Of course it was a breach of military discipline which the State authorities could not overlook. Col. Corcoran knew they could not afford to do so. Knew that they would not. He was in spirit and by training too much of a soldier and disciplinarian not to know that he risked dismissal from the service and his regiment's disbandment, in thus openly disobeying the orders of his superior officers to parade with his command. His refusal saved the patriotic Irish national esprit du corps of the Sixty-Ninth Regiment, and gladdened the hearts of thousands of Corcoran's fellow-countrymen in America. He knew the result, and when the order for his "arrest," in military parlance, fell upon him he met it like the gallant and soldierly fellow that he was. The occasion was too good to be neglected by the men of Boston to extend to Col. Corcoran, and as many of his command as could come here, an invitation to receive the congratulations of men who honored the memories of the heroes that fought at Bunker Hill, and whose siege guns on Dorchester Heights drove English Tories, and Hessians, and fleet from town and harbor, St. Patrick's Day, 1776.

I have alluded to Colonel Corcoran's strong military instincts. He was a soldier because he was in the first place a patriotic Irishman. When as a young man of twenty-two years of age he arrived in the United States, one of the first things done by him after getting an employment for a living was to join a military company in New York City. His father had been a commissioned officer in the old country, and on the mother's side the blood of the Sarsfields flowed in his veins. She was a lineal descendant of the family to which the hero of Limerick belonged, and young Corcoran before coming to America had had some military training which was of great use to him when he joined a company of the New York S. N. G. His knowledge of military tactics, passion for arms, and soldierly bearing soon attracted the attention of his superiors, and he rapidly ran up through the various grades as a non-commissioned officer until he became the company orderly sergeant. From this he was chosen first lieutenant, and shortly he became captain of the company. The inspector general said of him, so well had he and his company acquitted themselves during what was called the "Quarantine War," on Staten Island: "What I might say of Captain Corcoran as to his military knowledge would not add to his already known reputation as the best, if not the very best officer of his rank in the First Division." On the death of Colonel James Ryan he was elected in August, 1859, to fill the vacant colonelcy of the Sixty-Ninth Regiment New York S. N. G. He filled this high and honorable post but a little over one year, when the Prince of Wales arrived on these shores, and was making a grand tour

through this country. Much of this adulation sprang from that contemptible and non-American spirit which causes men and women to fawn and crawl before the smallest creature of the English nobility, even to this day. Other causes of it sprang from the hopes of closer commercial relations with the Mother Country, which our business. fellow-citizens entertained. But when the war broke out in 1861, how the eyes of thousands of these people must have been opened when they realized the perfidy of England in her machinations to see this union severed.

Col. Corcoran and his patriotic command refused to participate in the adulations of the people of New York to the representative of English royalty, and as stated he was deprived of his command and of the use of his sword as its colonel. In visiting Boston while under this arrest Mayor Bagley and Quartermaster Joseph B. Tully of the regiment accompanied him. They were accorded a royal ovation at Tremont Temple. The Irish Nationalists everywhere were only too eager to do homage to these men, who showed themselves ready to be socially sacrificed and ostracized for a principle of devotion to Irish. justice and emancipation. Col. Corcoran's reply to the enthusiastic welcome at the Temple was terse and soldierly. He was a man of action more than words as his more intimate compatriots in the Empire State well knew. But his quartermaster, Captain Tully, was an eloquent speaker, and ably responded to the patriotic address of respect, love, and welcome tendered to the distinguished visitors. A banquet at the Parker House followed, and for several days, while the guests were at the Revere House, the same place in Boston where the Prince and his suite were housed, they were the recipients of many hospitalities, and on leaving this city for home were conveyed by representative citizens with much ceremony, and under the escort of the famous Columbian Artillery-which after its Know-Nothing disbandment kept up its organization-in command of Capt. Thomas Cass, to the depot. Corcoran and his friends departed amid the warmest manifestations of regard and respect.

On his return to New York it did not seem as if the military authorities were in great haste to try him by court-martial, but steps were being taken in the formation of the court. With true gentlemen holding commissions in the guard of the State, Col. Corcoran's sentiment found considerable weight when he told them that,—

"As an Irishman I could not consistently parade Irish-born citizens in honor of the son of a sovereign under whose rule Ireland was left a desert and her best sons exiled or banished."

A few months only elapsed after this utterance when it was proved that the sentiment was faithful to the best interests of America as well as of devotion to Ireland. England's action showed plainly how glad she would have been to see the downfall of the Republic.

Pending the action of the court-martial the Southern rebellion broke out. Then it became evident that there was other work to be done by its members, far more useful and honorable to the State than in being engaged in the business of trying to dismiss an accomplished and patri

otic officer. The militia of New York were needed in 1esponse to the call of President Lincoln for troops to defend the capital of the country. The following tell-tale promulgation resulted therefrom :

[Special Order No. 9.]

FIRST DIVISION N. Y. S. M., NEW YORK, April 20, 1861.

In pursuance of Special Orders No. 58 from General Headquarters the courtmartial detailed for the trial of Colonel Corcoran of the Sixty-Ninth Regiment is dissolved, and the charges dismissed; and Colonel Corcoran is directed forthwith to resume the command of his regiment.

By order of MAJOR-GENERAL CHAS. W. Sandford,

GEORGE W. MORELL, Div. Eng., Acting Div. Inspector.

Two days later another order was issued to Colonel Corcoran by the same general officer, directing him to embark with his regiment on board the steamer Adger, Pier No. 4, North River, at 11 o'clock, April 23. The following sentence occurs in Colonel Corcoran's patriotic order, issued to his regiment and read to each company:

"The commandant feels proud that his first duty after being relieved from a long arrest is to have the honor of promulgating an order to the regiment to rally to the support of the constitution and laws of the United States."

It was foremost among the troops of the Empire State to rally in promptitude for the integrity of the union and the honor and glory of its proud banner. The regimental line was formed in Great Jones Street, New York City. Here amid great enthusiasm and excitement they were presented with a splendid silk flag of the Stars and Stripes, Judge Daly's wife being the donor. In the reply to the address of presentation the gallant Corcoran begged Judge Daly to assure his lady that her "appropriate gift should never suffer a stain of dishonor while a man of the Sixty-Ninth remained alive to defend it." A description of a subsequent scene in the metropolis says that at "about 3 o'clock the order of march was given. The regiment moved into Broadway amid deafening cheers; flags and banners streamed from the windows and housetops; ladies waved their handkerchiefs from the balconies, and flung bouquets on the marching columns." With the regular staff were Charles G. Halpine, the famous "Myles O'Reilly," and general afterwards, and John Savage, the poet and '48 exile. Here let us leave the brave regiment and resume in another chapter its heroic story.

STUDENT.

WHEN we are in doubt of not having done our duty, or of having offended God, we must humble ourselves, beg God to forgive us, and start afresh. Pure 'ove of God says to us: "Unfaithful one, humble thyself, rely upon the mercy of God, ask pardon, and after renewed promises of fidelity and love, continue on in the pursuit of thy perfection."St. Francis de Sales.