kinds of food. Its blood moves from the tail towards the head. It respires either by stigmata or small apertures placed on each side of its body or by one or several tubes situated on its posterior part, which have the resemblance of so many tails.

2. In the second period, the insect appears under the form of a nymph or a chrysalis. While in this state, insects in general are totally inactive, and seem not to possess any powers of life. Sunk into a kind of deep sleep, they are little affected by external objects. They can make no use of their eyes, their mouth, or any of their members; for they are all imprisoned by coverings more or less strong, No cares occupy their attention. Deprived of the faculty of motion, they remain fixed in those situations which they have chosen for their temporary abode, or where chance has placed them, till their final metamorphosis into flies. Some of them, however, are capable of changing place; but their movements are slow and painful. Their blood circulates, but in a contrary direction from what took place in the caterpillar state; for it proceeds from the head to the tail. Respiration continues to go on, but the organs are differently situated. In the caterpillar, the principal organs of respiration were placed at the posterior part of the body; but now these same organs are to be found at the anterior part of the animal.

3. In the third period, the insect has acquired that perfect organization which corresponds to the rank it is to hold in the scale of animation. The bonds of the nymph or of the chrysalis are now burst asunder, and the insect commences a new mode of existence. All its members, formerly soft, inactive, and folded up in an envelope, are expanded, strengthened, and exposed to observation. Under the form of a worm or caterpillar, it crawled; under that of a nymph or chrysalis, its power of motion was almost annihilated; under the last form, it is furnished with six springy legs, and two or four wings, with which it is enabled to fly through the air. Instead of teeth or pincers, with which it divided a gross

aliment, it has now a trunk, by which it extracts the refined juices of the most delicate flowers. Instead of a few smooth eyes, which it possessed in the worm and caterpillar state, the new insect is furnished with both smooth and convex eyes, to the number of several thousands.

397. From the following Hints, which are given in regular succession, produce a Description, developed and expressed as nearly as possible in accordance with the previous rules:

INSTINCT OF BIRDS DISPLAYED IN THE STRUCTURE of their

NESTS.

398.1. The different orders of birds exhibit variety, materials structure nest. 2. Those of rapacious tribes rude, of coarse materials, dried twigs, bents, &c. 3. But often lined soft substances. 4. Build elevated, castles, towers, other solitary retirements. 5. The aerie or nest eagle quite flat,

not hollow like those of other. 6. The male and female commonly place nest between two rocks, dry inaccessible situation. 7. Same nest, is said, serves eagle life. 8. Structure considerable, composed solid materials, last many years. 9. Its form that of a floor. 10. Basis consists sticks five six feet length, supported each end, covered with several layers rushes heath.

11. An eagle's nest found in Peak Derbyshire, Willoughby describes following manner; "Made of great sticks, resting one end edge rock, other on birch tree. 12. Upon these layer of rushes, over them layer of heath, upon heath rushes again; upon which lay one young eagle and addle egg, and near them a lamb, hare, three heath-pouts. 13. Nest about two yards square, no hollow in it." 14. But butcher-birds or shrikes, less rapacious than eagles and hawks, build habitations in shrubs bushes, employ moss, wool, other soft.

15. Common magpies build nests trees, structure admirably contrived warmth protection to young. 16. Nest not open at top: covered dexterous manner, arch or dome, small opening in side is left, to give parents opportunity of passing in out pleasure. 17. To protect eggs and young from attacks other animals, magpies place, all round external surface of nest, sharp briers and thorns.

18. Long-tailed titmouse or ox-eye, builds nearly like wren, but greater art. 19. With same materials as rest structure, titmouse builds arch over top nest which resembles egg erected one end, leaves small hole side for passage. 20. Both eggs and young by this contrivance, defended from injuries of air, rain, cold, &c. 21. That young have soft warm bed, she lines inside of nest with feathers, down, cobwebs. 22. Sides roof composed moss and wool, interwoven in curious and artificial manner.

LESSON 144.- Memoriter.

399. 1. Read the following Extract two or three times over, noticing the sequence of the sentences. 2. Reproduce the Example from recollection.

3. Institute a comparison between your own and the original, when all deviations either in construction, punctuation, or sequence must be noticed.

400. INGENUITY OF BEES.

1. In the formation of their combs, bees seem to resolve a problem which would not be a little puzzling to some geometricians; namely, a quantity of wax being given, to make of it equal and similar cells of a determined capacity, but of the largest size in proportion to the quantity of matter employed, and disposed in such a manner as to occupy in the hive the least possible space. Every part of this problem is completely executed by the bees. By applying hexagonal

cells to cach other's sides, no void spaces are left between them; and, though the same end might be accomplished by other figures, yet they would necessarily require a greater quantity of wax. Beside, hexagonal cells are better fitted to receive the cylindrical bodies of these insects. A comb consists of two strata of cells applied to each other's ends. This arrangement both saves room in the hive, and gives a double entry into the cells of which the comb is composed. As a farther saving of wax, and preventing void spaces, the bases of these cells in one stratum of a comb serve for bases to the opposite stratum. In a word, the more minutely the construction of these cells is examined, the more will the admiration of the observer be excited. The walls of the cells are so extremely thin, that their mouths would be in danger of suffering by the entering and issuing of the bees. To prevent this disaster, they make a kind of ring round the margin of each cell, and this ring is three or four times as thick as the walls.

2. It is difficult to perceive, even with the assistance of glass hives, the manner in which bees operate when constructing their cells. They are so eager to afford mutual assistance, and for this purpose so many of them crowd together, and are perpetually succeeding each other, that their individual operations can seldom be distinctly observed. It has, however, been plainly discovered, that their two teeth are the only instruments they employ in modeling and polishing the wax. With a little patience and attention, we perceive cells just begun; we likewise remark the quickness with which a bee moves its teeth against a small portion of the cell. This portion the animal, by repeated strokes on each side, smooths, renders compact, and reduces to a proper thinness of consistence. While some of the hive are lengthening their hexagonal tubes, others are laying the foundations of new ones. In certain circumstances, when extremely hurried, they do not complete their new cells, but leave them imperfect till they have begun a number sufficient for their

present exigencies. When a bee puts its head a little way into a cell, we easily perceive it scraping the walls with the points of its teeth, in order to detach such useless and irregular fragments as may have been left in the work. Of these fragments the bee forms a ball about the size of a pin-head, then comes out of the cell, and carries the wax to another part of the work where it is needed. It no sooner leaves the cell than it is succeeded by another bee, which performs the same office; and in this manner the work is successively carried on till the cell is completely polished.

401. From the following Hints, which are given in regular succession, produce a Description, developed and expressed as nearly as possible in accordance with the previous rules :

402. ARTIFICES OF THE Fox.

1. Fox in all ages nations celebrated craftiness address. 2. Acute circumspect sagacious prudent, diversifies his conduct, reserves art unforeseen accidents. 3. Nimbler than wolf, trusts not swiftness course. 4. Knows how ensure safety, providing with an asylum, retires when danger. 5. Not a wanderer, lives settled habitation, in domestic state. 6. Choice of situation, art of making rendering house commodious, concealing avenues, imply superior degree sentiment and reflection. 7. Fox possesses these qualities, employs them dexterity advantage. 8. Takes up abode border of wood, neighbourhood cottages. 9. Listens crowing cocks and noise poultry. 10. Scents them distance. 11. Chooses time with judgment discretion. 12. Conceals route design. 13. Moves forward caution, sometimes trailing his body, seldom fruitless expedition. 14. When leaps wall or gets underneath, ravages court-yard, puts fowls death, retires quietly with prey, which he conceals under herbage carries off to kennel.

15.