E. A. T.—There is a School of Telegraphy in Moorgate-buildings, at the back of Telegraph-street, E.C. All candidates for free admission must have passed an examination in handwriting and the first four rules of arithmetic under the Civil Service Commissioners, in Cannon-row, W.C., aged not under fourteen nor over eighteen years. They must be gifted with quickness of eye and ear and a delicate touch. In three or four months they have acquired the art, working four hours a day. They must be proficient in the use of four instruments. The pupils in this school are only intended for service in London.

Cedrica.—In reference to Gall's or Mercator's projection, you may perceive that by doing away with perspective you obtain the relative distances, as well as the height of the mountains compared with the general surface, without deducting through foreshortening. You write fairly well, but too large to be pretty.

Sine.—The aurorÆ are closely connected with the earth's magnetism, although their exact relationship is unknown. The appearance takes place equally round both magnetic poles. The most general opinion seems to be that they are illuminations of the lines of force which undoubtedly circulate round our earth. At all events, the corona forms itself round the magnetic poles, and its lines correspond to the earth's magnetic field. Displays of aurorÆ are almost always accompanied by magnetic storms, which so much affect our telegraph instruments, although the latter may occur when there is no visible aurora. An artificial aurora was produced by electrical means by Professor Lindstroem, in 67° north latitude, which was found to exhibit the spectrum of the true aurora. You will find all information respecting the "Zodiacal light" in "Guillemin on the Heavens."

C. H. C.—No examinations are required for teachers in high schools; but of course preference is always given to those who have passed examinations, and they obtain better salaries. The senior or the higher Cambridge examinations for women would be the best, and would ensure a good position.

MISCELLANEOUS.

Marie.—Your having given your parrot meat has given her a taste for raw meat. Perhaps a chemist could suggest a wash or powder to shake in under the feathers, that would taste bitter and disagreeable and yet prove harmless. Possibly your bird is troubled with small vermin, which irritate the skin and induce it to pick at the roots of the feathers. Examine the skin and plumage. We have given a long recipe for destroying the vermin in canaries.

Tum Yum.—You had better buy a little bottle of oil-gold and paint your picture-frame with it. See our article, "Lissom Hands and Pretty Feet."

Erica Raeburn.—Your verses are not correctly written, but the sentiments expressed are good. When you make an adverb of the word "true" you should drop the final "e."

M. H. M.—Write or see a map-setter, such as Wyld, or any other of those in or near Trafalgar-square and Charing Cross. The ways and means of colouring and disposing of your maps will be explained to you by these people.

Peckham Rye.—The poet Wordsworth had an only daughter, Dora, married to Mr. Quillinan. She was burnt to death in 1847, and left two daughters. The bishops are nephews of the poet.

Pharmaceutical.—The word "Pharmacon" can be found in all Greek lexicons. It is probably of Oriental extraction. It originally meant any medicine taken internally or externally, and apparently its original signification was good—or, at all events, not bad. Then, secondly, it came, like the word "accident," to get a bad sense attached to it, and it was used for a "poisonous drug," from which is derived its third and last sense, an "enchanted potion," or "enchantment." In the New Testament the word is translated "sorcery," not "drugs." See Rev. xxii. 15.

Daffodil.—Pampas grass may be cleaned by putting it into a large vessel of clean cold water, when after some time all the dust and dirt will come out, and it may be lightly shaken till dry. It may also be bleached with chloride of lime.

Sunbeam.—Do not on any account do so dangerous a thing as to put paraffin oil on your hair. Besides, the very bad smell of the oil would be most offensive to others if not to yourself.

Delia T. (Lausanne).—From your writing we conclude that you are very young. If so, your verses give some promise of better ones when older.

Jackday.—It is suitable for every day. You write very well. There is no "e" in truly.

Little Emily.—See "Girls' Christian Names," pages 39, 134, 235, 381, vol. iv.

Ocklawaka.—Certainly, it is quite improper to walk about alone with a man to whom you are not engaged. We know of no cure suitable for all alike for sea-sickness. Lie down on deck, drink water before being sick, and beware of starving. At the same time, do not select pork nor a suet dumpling just at first. In cases of very severe sickness, swallowing small scraps of ice before and after a spoonful of consommÉ or jelly is desirable, and an icebag should be applied to the spine.

A Tring Girl should consult a doctor about the moles if very unornamental.

Lady Jane Grey.—The "seven whistlers" are curlew, or herringspear birds, thought to be storm-bringers when heard overhead at sea. You will find a story in Buckland's "Curiosities of Natural History" about them.

Annie Spike should write to the Religious Tract Society, 56, Paternoster-row, E.C., for the tracts she needs. The lines are not poetry—nothing but badly-rhymed prose.

Harty.—Wills can be inspected at Somerset House, in the Strand, W.C.

Une Petite Fleur.—No one could interfere with you in keeping a private school, so far as we know.

Jamie's Darling.—We thank you warmly for your kind letter, and wish you much happiness in your new life and position.

No Stone Unturned must send her tale to a publisher; but we do not think she will get much—probably nothing; but, on the contrary, will have to pay, for a first attempt.

Asphodel.—The 29th of April, 1870, was a Friday. When a man says he is "very much in love" with the girl to whom he is speaking, he means her to give him some encouragement to say more, and in a business-like, practical way.

A Fearful One.—A polypus in the nose has to be cut out, but the patient must be under the influence of chloroform. It is more usually a man's than a woman's disease. Your letters should be rounder.

Une Demoiselle.—It is our ordinary form of greeting to say "How do you do?" It is an idiomatic phrase, and does not exact an answer as to the state of your health any more than the salutation "Good day." If anxious for information as to how you are, more direct inquiries will follow the salutation. Only ignorant persons reply to "How do you do?" "Very well, thank you; how are you?"

A. B.—The first and second volumes of the G. O. P. are entirely out of print, as also are all the indexes, excepting that for vol. vi. None of these will be reprinted. We request our readers to take note of what we say, as it will save them waste of time in writing for them.

Ruby Kingsley.—We cannot continue giving space for repeating the story of the willow pattern.

Miss King, the Secretary of the Society for Promoting the Employment of Women, 22, Berners-street, Oxford-street, W., writes:—In the G.O.P. for September there is an article (one of a series) on wood engraving by Mr. R. Taylor. I have read the articles with great interest, and I entirely agree with the greater part of what Mr. Taylor says. But he writes as if there were no opening for girls in the trade. I fully admit that only a small number are at present employed in it, but he writes that he does not believe that engraving can be effectually taught in schools or classes, and that he has not met with a single individual who has attained by this means skill enough to earn a livelihood. Now it is a fact that there are 12 or 14 girls employed at an engraver's in the City, who have learnt engraving at the City and Guilds of London Art School, which was established about six years ago, and some of these girls are doing excellent work and earning very good wages. Engraving is an art which requires persevering study for four or five years at the least, so that the school has not yet been established for a sufficiently long time to have trained a large number of girls, but the instruction given there is thoroughly good, and if the girls will persevere as long with it as they would be obliged to do if they were regularly apprenticed, I do not think there is any fear but that they will succeed in getting employment; but their work must be good. If you will kindly look at page 9 of our Report, published in May last, you will see an account of the school. There are vacancies now in the school, particulars of which I shall be happy to give to anyone who will call here between 11 and 5. I shall be greatly obliged if you will mention this school and its successful work in the next number of the G.O.P., for I fear that Mr. Taylor's statement is calculated to injure it materially.

I am, dear sir,
Yours obediently,
Gertrude J. King, Sec.

A full account of the Kennington class was given in the G.O.P., January, 1884, page 180, in the article on Art in the series of "Work for All."