We are persuaded that our readers will be delighted with these
attractive facts in the history of the Mantis and Starfish. The
Illustrations themselves are extremely interesting and effective; but in
order to gratify the admirer of Art as well as the lover of Nature, we
have selected for the _Supplement_ published with this Number, a
splendid Engraving of the city of _Verona_, from a Drawing by the late
J.P. Bonington.

* * * * *


CATS.

(_To the Editor of the Mirror_.)


Having read an interesting account of the "Veneration of Cats in ancient
days," in a recent number of your entertaining and useful publication, I
am induced to send you the following respecting the part they formed in
the religious worship of the middle ages:--

In Mills's "History of the Crusades", we meet with the following:--"At
Aix in Provence, on the festival of _Corpus Christi_, the finest tom cat
of the country, wrapped in swaddling clothes like a child, was exhibited
in a magnificent shrine to public admiration. Every knee was bent, every
hand strewed flowers or poured incense, and grimalkin was treated in all
respects as the god of the day. But on the festival of _St. John_, poor
tom's fate was reversed. A number of the tabby tribe were put into a
wicker basket, and thrown alive into the midst of an immense fire
kindled in the public square by the bishop and his clergy. Hymns and