came from.

will not go with us." In a few minutes the whole party were ready, and set out. On the road they observed, now and then, a solitary swallow darting by them. Mr. Stock said, they were the first he had seen that year. Adam wished to know where they It is not clearly ascertained," said his father. "However, they travel many hundred miles to visit us. It is supposed by some that they go to the continent of Africa; because, in the autumn, large flocks have been seen flying over Gibraltar, and across the straits to that continent. During the long continuance of stormy winds which sometimes happen while they are migrating, the poor little things are so worn out with fatigue, that they have been known to settle upon the rigging of ships, and suffer themselves to be taken by the sailors with the hand. They are pretty pleasant birds to think of;—always following the sunshine and fine weather. It is curious to notice them while they are building their nests, how very quick and skilful they are; also to observe those sly rogues, the sparrows, watching them from the house-eaves, ready to rob them at the first opportunity. The wise and entertaining Mrs. Barbauld, in her delightful" Evenings at Home," tells of a sparrow who had watched a pair of martins building till the nest was finished, when he took possession of it, and the poor industrious little creatures could not drive him out, for he was too strong for them. Well,-as he chose to stay in their nest, they determined that he should do so. Therefore they went to work. and fetched clay, with which you know they build their

nests, and blockaded him in ;-so the unfortunate thief was terribly punished for his injustice.

As they passed by a farm-yard, they saw some young geese and ducks just hatched, swimming about in the dirty horse-pond. At a distance they looked almost like bunches of yellow silk upon the water. The party were amused with observing the quickness with which those young and tender little creatures hurried backwards and forwards amongst the green weed, which covered the surface of the pond, catching the water-flies. Presently after they saw a little bird standing upon a gate-post, which was making a loud cry, as if it said—“ wick—wick,”—many times; and very quickly. The children wished to know what bird it was." I believe," said the father, "it is called the wry-neck. That name was given to it because it is used to twist back its head, and turn up its tail over it. It is a pretty little bird when you come close to it: the feathers are as if they were marked with a pencil. You would be very much astonished if you were to see a nest of the young ones: they would hiss at you as if they were so many snakes: and this custom that they have, when disturbed, has scared many a cowardly boy, who would have taken them, had he thought they had been only poor tender birds. This bird feeds upon ants and other insects which it catches, by darting out its tongue upon them, and they stick to it in the same way as a crumb of bread would to your's. At this time of the year you would hear the bittern, if you were near any large marsh. The noise it makes, which is very loud, is something

like the roaring of a bull, but much shorter. It is called booming. You must read the account of the bittern in your natural history, when you get home. In the reign of that horrid monster, King Henry the Eighth, it was esteemed a great delicacy. I am told it tastes like hare. They were now passing a row of those beautiful trees-the birch-and all took notice how light they looked, and how pretty the trunks appeared among other trees. Mr. Stock told the children that the birch is a valuable tree in those tracts of soil which suit no other: such as bogs and mosses. The marshy parts of forests which will scarcely produce a blade of grass, are frequently covered with this description of tree. The wood is not of much value; it was used for making arrows before fire-arms were invented, because of its lightness; and on this account it is still employed for scaffolding poles. Birch-brooms, as they are called, are made of the twigs: so are the rods which are used at the great public schools. "You had no such unbecoming punishment at your school, Adam," said he; if there had been, I should not have sent you there. The bark of this tree is used in the northern countries for covering houses, and many other purposes. It likewise makes good torches, because of the quantity of gum which it contains. The sap, too, of this tree makes a pleasant wine. People procure : it by boring a hole into the middle of the trunk, in the early spring, when the sap begins to rise. Take notice, and you will find, that the leaves of the birch have a pleasant smell."

On their way home, they observed that beautiful little bird, the Redstart, darting from bough to bough, and the children remarked how quickly its tail trembled. They also heard a little jarring, or chirping noise in the grass near to their path, and upon inquiry were informed that it proceeded from that curious insect the mole-cricket; which, from the noise it makes, is called in some parts of England the "churr-worm," and "eve-churr." "If you remind me, Adam," said Mr. Stock, "after supper, you shall read, in White's History of Selbourne, an entertaining account of this and of the common cricket, which you may hear every warm evening in our kitchen. The mole-cricket builds its nest just under the surface of the ground; and as the cold weather comes on, it burrows deeper, to be out of the reach of the frost. Nothing can be more careful of its young than this little insect. The female places herself at the entrance of the nest, to guard her offspring from blackbeetles, which are their enemies; and if one should enter, she catches it behind, and bites it asunder."

The party next remarked, that a few field-fares were still flying about; and the father told them, that in the course of a week or ten days, they would leave our shores for those of Norway. As they were turning into their garden, they heard the sweet notes of two different birds, which they were informed were the whitethroat and blackcap." You must try and find me an account of the whitethroat, Adam," said his father; " for I have never been able to meet with any yet." After eating a hearty supper of radishes

and bread and butter, with eggs, and some of the delightful home-brewed ale, the whole family were in bed by ten o'clock.

The month was now nearly at its close; and Adam and his father employed it in attending to the flowergarden. They hoed and raked the beds and the shrubbery:-tied up the crocus leaves in a knot, instead of cutting them down to the ground, which injures the young roots. They thinned out the larkspurs that were sown in the early part of the last month, and replanted those which they took up, in other beds. Mr. Stock then showed Adam how to make layers from the beautiful laurustinus trees: by pegging into the earth those branches that are close to the ground, which in a few months will take root, and become fresh trees; and in the autumn may be separated from the mother plant. They sowed a large quantity of the deliciously smelling mignonette in the warm borders near the parlour window, both for their own delight, and for the benefit of their friends the bees.

In dry weather they watered the beds of young plants that had been sown last month and the month before. This was done at this time of the year very early in the morning: in the hot weather of July and August it may be done at sunset. But, above all, they were careful to weed the beds where the young annuals were coming up. Mr Stock asked Adam the meaning of annual, as it is used for plants; because he wished to see if he remembered what he had formerly told him: when he very readily answered