pounce upon pigeons when away from their companions.

A boy had a sparrow hawk that used to accompany him through the fields, catch its game, devour it at -lei-sure, and, after all, it would find out the boy wherever he went, nor, after the first or second ad ́venture of this kind, was he ever afraid of losing the bird. It was about as large as a wood pigeon, and has been seen to fly at a turkey-cock, and when beaten, return to the charge with undaunted intre-pid-i-ty. A countryman, however, one day shot it for having made too free with some of his poultry. The female builds her nest in hollow trees, on high rocks, or lofty ru'-ins; sometimes, however, she is contented with the old nest of a crow. She generally lays four or five eggs.

EXERCISES. What kind of bird is the sparrow hawk? Of what is it the dread? Among what does it there make great havoc ? What does it often do in winter? Of what is it capable when properly trained? What may it be taught to pursue? What will it do to pigeons? What did a sparrow hawk, that a boy had, use to do? Did it find out the boy wherever he went? How large was it? What had it been seen to fly at? Why did a countryman shoot it? Where does the female build her nest? What nest is she sometimes contented with? How many eggs does she generally lay?

THE CUCKOO.

The cuckoo is of a grayish colour; its size is some'what less than that of a pigeon; it is shaped like the magpie; and it has round standing-out nostrils. It is one of those birds that mi'-grate from one country to another. It visits us in spring, and leaves us long before the cold weather sets in.

While it remains with us, it flies about from tree to tree, and from wood to wood, and sends forth that cheerful voice which every body has heard with delight; and then it sets off for some other country to another spring, as the only season of the year suited to its tastes and habits.

Most people know that the cuckoo does not build any nest, and does not hatch its own eggs, or rear its own young. She fixes on the nest of the tit-lark, the water wagtail, the green linnet, or some other bird, but chiefly on that of the hedge sparrow; and, in their absence, lays her egg, for she seldom or never lays more than one egg in the same nest. No sooner have the eggs been hatched, than the young cuckoo contrives to turn out the other young ones, and thus becomes the sole object of its nurse's care. A person saw it perform that work, and de-scribes' it in the following manner: the little cuckoo, with its rump and wings, got the young sparrow on its back, and making a lodgment for its burden, by raising its elbows, climbed backwards with it up the side of the nest, till it reached the top, where, resting for a moment, it threw off its load with a jerk, and set the sparrow quite over the nest. After stopping a little, and feeling about with the ex-trem'-i-ties of its wings, as if to convince itself that the thing was done, it dropped again into the nest.

It deserves notice, that though the body of the cuckoo is many times larger than that of the sparrow,

its egg is fully smaller. In this there is a wise design; for if the egg of the cuckoo were to be as large as it is common for birds of that size to produce, it must be laid in the nest of a large bird, and then the young cuckoo would not have the same chance of living, by freeing itself from the presence of the other young birds, which would be as strong as itself, or perhaps stronger. But while the smallness of the egg renders it easy for the sparrow to hatch it, the young cuckoo, being more powerful than the young sparrows, can, with perfect ease, throw them out of the nest, and secure from their parents all the care and nurture which it requires.

The young cuckoo shows a fierce temper long before it leaves the nest. When any thing provokes it, it assumes the manner of a bird of prey, and pecks with great fury at any object we present to it, often making a chuckling noise like a young hawk. When fledged, it follows the sparrow, or other bird, that has reared it, for a very little time: being unlike them in its instincts and habits, it soon deserts them and follows its own course. All the smaller birds seem to regard the cuckoo as a foe; and they are hostile to it in their turn. They pursue it wherever it flies, and often oblige it to take shelter in the thickest branches of the tree, to which it retreats for safety.

EXERCISES.-Of what colour is the cuckoo? What is its size? How is it shaped? In what season does it visit us? When does it leave us? What does it do while it remains with us? Which is

the only season of the year suited to its tastes and habits? Does the cuckoo build its own nest, hatch its own eggs, or rear its own young? On what nest does she fix? How many eggs does she lay in the same nest? What does the young cuckoo contrive to do when the eggs have been hatched? Whether is the egg of the cuckoo or the sparrow smaller? What sort of temper does the young cuckoo show before leaving its nest? When any thing provokes it, what manner does it assume? When fledged, what birds does it follow? Why does it soon desert them and follow its own course? How do all the smaller birds regard the cuckoo ? How do they act towards it?

THE NIGHTINGALE.

The nightingale, so famous among the feathered tribe for its song, is about six inches long. It makes its appearance in England about the beginning of April, and leaves it in August or September. It is found, however, only in the southern parts of the kingdom; and in Scotland, Ireland, and North Wales, it is seldom or never seen. It visits places farther north in Sweden and Germany. It abounds in Asia, where, as well as in Europe, its mel'-o-dy is highly prized. This enchanting warbler mod'-ulates its tones into the softest and most delightful strains, and sends forth such a plaintive and expressive melody, that no person can listen to it and remain unmoved. Its favourite haunts are in low coppices and thick hedges; it is fond of solitude; it is seldom seen flying about; its song is mostly heard during the stillness of the night; and for weeks together, if not disturbed, it will continue on the same tree. It feeds chiefly on small worms and insects, but will eat berries when they come in its way. The nightingale prepares its nest about the

beginning of May. Its nest is composed of moss, leaves, and grass, lined with hair or down, fixed in a low hedge or bush, and sometimes on the ground, and carefully covered with leaves. The female alone sits; and the male perches near, and soothes and amuses her the whole time with his delightful song; and if he ap-pre-hends' any danger approaching, he gives her warning by short pauses in the notes. When the young are hatched, he ceases to sing. The eggs are four or five in number, and of a greenish brown; and in warm countries, three or four broods are produced in the year. The young ones may be brought up from the nest, and will, if well managed, sing during the whole year except in the season of moulting. But it has been observed, that its song, when thus kept prisoner in a cage, is by no means so sweet and pleasing as when allowed to warble in the woods in its nat'-u-ral state.

EXERCISES. For what is the nightingale famous? How long is it? When does it make its appearance in England? When does it leave it? In what parts of the kingdom is it found? In what parts is it seldom or never seen? What countries does it visit farther north? Where are its favourite haunts? What is it fond of? When is its song mostly heard? On what does it chiefly feed? When does the nightingale prepare its nest? Of what is it composed? How does the male soothe and amuse the female while she sits? How does he give her warning when danger approaches? When does he cease to sing? Of what colour are the eggs? In warm countries how many broods are produced in the year? What has been observed of its song when kept prisoner in a cage?