DINGO'S SAGACITY. 51

siast in your favourite study as yourself," Mrs. Weldon interposed ; " but are you not satîsfied with the resuit of your explorations in New Zealand ? " " Yes, yes," answered Benedict, with a sort of hesîtatîng reluctance ; " I must not say I was dîssatisfied ; I was really very delighted to secure that new staphylin which hitherto had never been seen elsewhere than in New Califomia ; but still, you know, an entomologist is always craving for fresh additions to his collection." While he was speaking, Dingo, leaving little Jack, who was romping with him, came and jumped on Benedict, and began to fawn on him. "Get away, you brute !" he exclaimed, thrusting the dog aside. " Poor Dingo ! good dog ! " cried Jack, runnîng up and taking the animales huge head between his tiny hands. "Your interest in cockroaches, Mr. Benedict," observed the captain, " does not seem to extend to dogs." " It isn't that I dislike dogs at ail," answered Benedict ; "but this créature has disappointed me." " How do you mean ? You could hardly want to cata- logue him with the diptera or hymenoptera ?" asked Mrs Weldon laughingly.

• • Oh, not at ail," replied Benedict, with the most unmoved

gravity. " But I understood that he had been found on the West Coast of Africa, and I hoped that perhaps he might hâve brought over some African hemiptera in his coat ; but I hâve searched his coat well, over and over again, without finding a single spécimen. The dog has disap- pointed me," he repeated mournfuUy. " I can only hope," said the captain, " that if you had found anything, you were going to kill it instantly." Benedict looked with mute astonishment into the captaîn's face. In a moment or two afterwards, he said, — " I suppose, sir, you acknowledge that Sîr John Franklin was an eminent member of your profession ? " « Certainly ; why ? " " Because Sîr John would never take away the life of £ 2