fo the Editor of the "Nontu-Cuuwa Dany News"
SimPancoun's otter in your Issue' of the 16th July cannot be. allowed to remain unanswered, for it casts doubts on the efleacy of inserting advertisements in' your esteemed columns.
I feel it my duty to explain that there is but small hope of Paxcoun's wishes being fuldlled. "Owing pos: sibly to the recent exceptional weather, the market in Pangolins at present extremely tight; transac tons over the last 11 weeks have entirely ceased, and Pangolincers are fat their wits' ends, I'am given to understand that there Is but one unemployed pangolin in the whole of Shanghai, and he is at present booked for exhibition at the general meeting shortly to be held by the local Pangolin Club, the existence of Which your Wuhu.' correspondent is apparently unaware, This club Is a very gay and jolly institution, and I would be pleased to propose' your 'Wuhu correspondent for membership, it he so wishes, 'The advantages of such membership are many, and include the right to wear the Club colours, and to receive grails "the weekly' Issue of the Pangolin Journal.
In case Pangouin, by any remote chance, does succeed in obtaining one of these creatures, oven if only on loan, I consider that a word of warning regarding their character-Islics as pets is desirable. Individually "these little edentales are charming, but they are inclined 0 bbe short tempered, and when roused become most formidable, To avoid being'savaged by an enraged pangolin it ts essential to act promptly and fearlessly, grasping him firmly by the short' scales on the nape of his neck, and forcibly rolling him into' a ball. Having done this he must be rolled away, much as one bowls a hoop, or thrown spinning into the air, and, when re-caught, re-thrown, 'The: golden rule to member is that "a revolving pangolin never bites," the reason being that, when spinning, he always thinks he is rolling down hill, aiid must, remain spherical unfit' he comes. to 0 slandstil, This truly remarkable trait but ttle known, but it illustrates very clearly the theory, now becom Ing. generally held, that pangolins are not absolutely fearless, as was formerly "believed, but that they have no smaginatlon whatever-—for they will cheerfully roll anywhere, even if they don't know where they are rolling.
Finally it is of interest to note that the art of pangolin spinning has been practised in China for many centuries, and it has been asserted, with what truth T cannot say, that the original inventor of diavolo got his inspiration from watching a pa olm rapidly rotating.
Shanghai, July 19,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.