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is collected, the parent gives a signal, and the young one meets it; and for this kindness, the little creature gives a sort of quick note, expressive of its delight and thankfulness.

There is hardly a bird that flies which does not read a lesson of affection and industry to parents; and of thankfulness to children!

During every part of the summer, whilst there is a family to be maintained, the Swallow spends the whole day, from morning till night, in seeking food for its little ones.-The following remarks are made by a writer in the Gentleman's Magazine : "By the myriads of insects which every single brood of Swallows destroys, in the course of a summer, these birds defend us very considerably from the annoyance of flies and gnats, and they keep down the number of those minute enemies, which, either in the grub or winged state, would otherwise prey on the labours of the husbandman. Since then Swallows are the guardians of our corn, they should every where be protected by the same popular veneration which, in Egypt, defends the Ibis, and, in Holland, the Stork. What can be said of those who wantonly murder Swallows under the idle pretence of improving their skill in shooting? When a Mother Swallow is thus killed, a whole nest full of little ones must perish with hunger; and a great protector of our corn fields is destroyed."

Swallows feed on small beetles as well as flies, and often settle on the ground to pick up gravel, which assists in grinding and digesting their food. Persons travelling on horseback are often followed by the same Swallows for miles together. This is probably for the purpose of collecting those insects which are roused from the ground by the trampling of the horse's feet. For some weeks before the Swallows depart, they roost in trees. They generally leave us about the beginning of October.

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A few days before their departure, they assemble, in vast flocks, on house-tops, churches, and trees, from which they take their flight,

Chiefly from Bingley's Animal Biography.

EFFECT OF ACIDS.

To the Editor of the Cottager's Monthly Visitor. SIR,

You gave a receipt for cleaning sponges in your Number for January; "a little sulphuric acid dífuted (or lowered) in a good deal of water." It is well that a hint was given to make the solution very weak, for otherwise it would burn the sponges, and so totally destroy them. Almost any acid will clean sponges. I suppose this has been seen of late by the practice of servants cleaning their master's boot-tops with acids, when they have found that the acid took the dirt from the sponges as well as from the boots, and sometimes, no doubt, burned them too. Oxalic acid has been much used for such purposes; but many serious accidents have arisen from its being mistaken for Epsom salts, which it greatly resembles in appearance, but, if swallowed, would probably cause death. The public has been cautioned against this mistake, in your work as well as in many others. A little tartaric acid will clean sponges, with less change of burning them.

In hot weather, the light coloured lining of a hat is apt to get dirty this too may be cleaned by a sponge wetted in a solution of this acid.

Many persons make great mistakes from not knowing the strength of drugs which they purchase. As to the sulphuric acid mentioned above,

it is sometimes called vitriolic acid, or perhaps oil of vitriol. Now to prevent mistakes, it may be well to remark, that what is sold at the druggists' shops, as generally known by the name of oil of vitriol, is a very strong and hot acid indeed ;-what is more frequently called vitriolic acid, should be distinguished by the name of the diluted acid, being in fact the oil of vitriol very much diluted or lowered: but even this is too strong for the purposes above mentioned; and, to prevent its burning, should still be much lowered :-care should be taken that none of it gets upon carpets, or clothes, and that the hands should not be wiped with a towel or a pocket handkerchief, as these things will, in consequence of it, be soon found to be full of holes. A piece of soft paper should be at hand to wipe the fingers and then, when they have afterwards been washed in water, no harm can well happen.

Since of late years people have found out, that, in hot weather, a mild cooling sort of drink is much more wholesome and refreshing than hot and strong liquor, many persons keep a little tartaric, or citric, or diluted vitriolic acid, in the house: this put into a glass of cold water, in which some carbonate of potass is first dissolved, makes an excellent glass of refreshing soda water. About half a good tea-spoonfull of tartaric or citric acid in half a tumbler of water, will be about the proper quantity, and the same quantity of the soda or potass in half the other tumbler; and these should be poured together, and taken whilst in a state of effervescence. This makes a good, cooling sort of fever draught; and is also very refreshing and wholesome to people in health. Tartaric acid is cheaper than citric, and safer than vitriolic.

Your's,

D.

Lines written in the Church Yard of Richmond, Yorkshire.

BY HERBERT KNOWLES.

THE following lines are well calculated to produce a feeling of right meditation in a Church-yard. Having lately endeavoured to excite an interest on the subject of Epitaphs, these verses may, perhaps, be in harmony with the feelings of some of our readers. They were written by a young man in very humble life, who has here shewn a remarkably poetical, as well as devout, feeling. Herbert Knowles, the author of them, died, a few years ago, at a very early age. These verses have already appeared in several periodical publications.

"It is good for us to be here: if thou wilt, let us make here three tabernacles; one for Thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elias." Matt. xvii. 4.

Methinks it is good to be here:

If thou wilt, let us build ;-but for whom?
Nor Elias nor Moses appear,

But the shadows of eve that encompass the gloom,
The abode of the dead, and the place of the tomb.

Shall we build to Ambition? Oh, no!"
Affrighted he shrinketh away;

For see, they would pin him below,

In a small narrow cave; and begirt with cold clay,
To the meanest of reptiles a peer and a prey.

To Beauty? Ah no. She forgets
The charms which she wielded before;
Nor knows the foul worm that he frets

The skin which, but yesterday, fools could adore,
For the smoothness it held, or the tint which it wore.

Shall we build to the purple of Pride,-
The trappings which dizen the proud?

Alas they are all laid aside;

And here's neither dress nor adornment allow'd,

But the long winding-sheet, and the fringe and the shroud.

To Riches! Alas, 'tis in vain,
Who hid, in their turns have been hid:

The treasures are squandered again.

And here in the grave are all metals forbid,
But the tinsel that shone on the dark coffin lid.

To the pleasures which Mirth can afford,—
The revel, the laugh, and the jeer?

Ah! here is a plentiful board;

But the guests are all mute as their pitiful cheer,
And none but the worm is a reveller here.

Shall we build to Affection and Love?
Ah no! they have wither'd and died,
Or fled with the spirit above.

Friends, brothers, and sisters, are laid side by side,
Yet none have saluted, and none have replied.

Unto Sorrow? The dead cannot grieve.
Not a sob nor a sigh meets mine ear,

Which compassion itself could relieve!

Ah, sweetly they slumber; nor hope, love, nor fear;
Peace, peace, is the watch-word, the only one here.

Unto Death, to whom monarchs must bow?
Ah, no; for his empire is known.

And here there are trophies enow,

Beneath, the cold dead,—and around, the dark stone,
Are the signs of a sceptre that none may disown,

The first tabernacle to HOPE we will build,
And look for the sleepers around us to rise!

The second to FAITH, which insures it fulfill'd:

And the third to the LAMB of the great sacrifice,

Who bequeath'd us them both when he rose to the skies.

The following Verses were written by Bishop Pearce, at the age of seventy-eight.

In life's late ev'ning, through a length of day,
I find me gently tending to decay:
How shall I then my fated exit make?
How best secure my great eternal stake?
'Tis my first wish to see Thy glorious face,
O gracious God, in some more happy place;

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