It ia stated, on the authority of Mr H, Shrubsole, F.G.S , of Sheerness, that 1 canary bird, belonging to a shepherd living near Sheerness, is able to ut'er words am ■entonces no ai to bo readily understood Sometimes the bird interpolates phrases ir the middle of a song, but it is heard to ad vantage when it spoiks, as it ofton docp without singing. So far as can be asoer. tamed, thero is no reoord of a similar ornitho logical accomplishment. The Melbourne Argus has tho following "Anuinbo- of Cinnamon residing in Mel bour/ie, havo applied through their agents to the Commissioner of Customs for the ro mission, in special oasci, of the LlO poll tax They state that they are about to visit Tas mania and New Zealand, and that as busi ness it their sole motive for going, theythmli tint on returning they ought not to be taxec is if they were immi rant* from China. Mi Grave* his declined to accede to thin ro quest, f>r the reasons that it would bo diffi mlt to identify the Chinamen ou their re turn from tte other colonies, and that if 1 remission of the tax wero granted in a foy casos it would bo an argument for its remis sion in all." Tho Agram Gazette (Austria) gives promin on en to an aocountof adomestio tragedy whicl recently took place at Carlstadt. In thai town there is a celebrated military sohool the chief master of which up to a few dayi ago wa» Major Thalheim. When the stud enta had assembled in his oollego some tor days n«o, they wore surprised at the nnn-«p< pearanoi of their professor, who was alwayi punctual. After waiting nearly an hour foi tho Major, two of tho senior oadets went tr his romlonce, Madamo Thalheim was not ir the town, and the house was still closed, Thoy .rapped at tho door and rang the bell, but on roceiving no answer, they broke iperi a window and entered the house, Thore a terrible speotaole met their gaze. Tho tw Bona o! tho Major wore lying dead on the break fait room door. 