nd.

CENTENARIANS.--The _Rabbi Hirsch_, born in Poland, died a few weeks
ago in Brooklyn, aged 109. He saw Napoleon on his march to Moscow.
Mrs. Paradis of North Grosvenordale, Conn., died Aug. 26, aged 120.
The _Boston Globe_ in making a record of old people in Maine, has
mentioned Miss Betsey Sargent, of Canterbury, aged 100; Mrs. Ellen
Scott, Portsmouth, 100; Mrs. Mary Mann, Oxford, 101; Mrs. Jane Wilson,
Edgecomb, 102; John Chandler, Concord, 102; Mrs. Nancy Chase, Edgerly,
103; Perault Pickard, Colchester, 107; Robert Peters, Berwick, 107;
George McQueen, Portland, 109; Giles Bronson, Castleton, 115; Mrs.
Mary Ludkends, Portland, 117.

Samuel Zielinski, a Pole, who came to the United States after he was
100 years old, is now living a mile from Dubois, Illinois, with his
descendants, at the age of 120.

EDUCATED MONKEYS.--The story comes from Brazil, by way of Panama, that
on a hemp farm seven large monkeys have been taught to work as
laborers, and that they work faster and eat less than negroes. If they
can pull hemp, why not do other work? If this report is confirmed it
may be of some importance.

A correspondent of the _New York Times_ says that monkeys from Cape
Town, Africa, have been introduced successfully into the hemp fields
of Kentucky. One gentleman employs twelve near Shelbyville, Perkins &
Chirsman have eleven, Smith & Murphy twenty-six, and J. B. Park, near
Kingston, who introduced monkey labor, employs seventeen. The monkeys
cost about $60 each, they are docile, easily taught, and cost about
one fourth of human labor.

CAUSES OF IDIOCY.--Dr. T. Langdon Down, inquiring into the causes of
idiocy, has found that intemperance of parents is one of the most
considerable factors in producing the affection. His view is confirmed
by some French and German investigators, one of whom, Dr. Delasiauve,
has said that in the village of Careme, whose riches were in its
vineyards, ten years' comparative sobriety, enforced by vine-disease,
had a sensible effect in diminishing the cases of idiocy. Nervous
constitution and consumption exercise important influence. Of the
professions, lawyers furnish the smallest proportion of idiots, while
they are credited with the procreation of a relatively very large
number of men of eminence. With the clergy, these proportions are more
than reversed. The influence of consanguineous marriage, _per se_, is
insignificant, if it exists.--_Pop. Science Monthly_.

A POWERF