wings expanded and motionless, and it is from their gliding manner that the former are still called, in the north of England, gleads, from the Saxon verb glidan, to glide. The kestrel, or windhover, has a peculiar mode of hanging in the air in one place, his wings all the while being briskly agitated. Hen-harriers fly low over heaths or fields of corn, and beat the ground regularly like a pointer or setter-dog. Owls move in a buoyant manner, as if lighter than the air: they seem to want ballast. There is a peculiarity belonging to ravens that must draw the attention even of the most incurious-they spend all their leisure time in striking and cuffing each other on the wing in a kind of playful skirmish; and when they move from one place to another, frequently turn on their backs with a loud croak, and seem to be falling on the ground. When this odd gesture betides them, they are scratching themselves with one foot, and thus lose the centre of gravity. Rooks sometimes dive and tumble in a frolicsome manner. Crows and daws swagger in their walk. 4 Woodpeckers fly with an undulating motion, opening and closing their wings at every stroke, and so are always rising and falling in curves. All of this kind use their tails, which incline downwards, as a support while they run up trees. Parrots, like all other hookclawed birds, walk awkwardly, and make use of their bill as a third foot, climbing and descending with ridiculous caution. Cocks, hens, partridges, pheasants, &c., parade and walk gracefully, and run nimbly, but fly with difficulty, with an impetuous whirring, and in a straight line. Magpies and jays flutter with powerless wings, and make no dispatch. Herons seem encumbered with too much sail for their light bodies, but their vast hollow wings are necessary in carrying burdens, such as large fishes, and the like. Pigeons, and particularly the sort called smiters, have a way of clashing their wings, the one against the other, over their backs, with a loud snap; another variety, called tumblers, turn themselves over in the air. The kingfisher darts along like an arrow. Fernowls, or goat-suckers, glance in the dusk over the tops of trees like a meteor." Starlings, as it were, swim along, while missel-thrushes use a wild and desultory® flight. Swallows sweep over the surface of the ground and water, and distinguish themselves by rapid turns and quick evolutions; swifts dash round in circles; and the bank martin moves with frequent vacillations," like a butterfly. Most of the small birds fly by jerks, rising and falling as they advance. Most small birds hop; but wagtails and larks walk, moving their legs alternately. Skylarks rise and fall perpendicularly as they sing; woodlarks hang poised in the air; and titlarks rise and fall in large curves, singing in their descent. The white-throat uses odd jerks and gesticulations over the tops of hedges and bushes. All the duck kind waddle; divers and auks walk as if fettered, and stand erect on their tails. Geese and cranes, and most wild fowls, move in figured flights, often changing their position. Dabchicks, moorhens, and coots fly erect, with their legs hanging down, and hardly make any dispatch. 1 Ornithologist, one learned in the 2 Their air, their general bearing. 5 Meteor, a falling star. 6 Desultory, in a lazy, rambling way. 7 Vacillation, a swaying to and fro; moving here and there in a purposeless sort of way. 8 Gesticulations, strange ments. move CORIOLANUS CORIOLANUS. YORIOLANUS was a celebrated Roman who lived about 450 years before the birth of Christ. He won the name of Coriolanus from his bravery in turning the tide of fortune in favour of the Roman arms when storming the town of Corioli. But though distinguished for his valour, he was haughty, proud, and stern, without sympathy for the poor and oppressed. The Romans were at that time divided into two distinct classes, patricians and plebeians, or nobles and commoners. In our country the higher and lower classes are united by many links, and there is a continual passage of individuals from one class to the other. Indeed, the peasant boy in England may, if he have the talent, rise to a place among the highest in the land. But in Rome in early times there was a wide and impassable gulf between the patricians and the plebeians. Coriolanus took advantage of a famine, when the plebeians were in great distress, to attempt to deprive them of their franchise, or their right to vote in the assembly of the citizens. His project was not generally supported by the patricians, and the fury of the people rose to such a height that he found it necessary to withdraw from Rome, vowing vengeance against the city. At the time of which we are speaking, Italy was not under the rule of one monarch, nor did the people of Italy look upon themselves as one nation, but every town of any note formed with the neighbouring district a distinct nation. And so Coriolanus on retiring from Rome had only to withdraw to a neighbouring city, to be in the territory of another nation. own. The exile went to Antium, the capital of the Volscians, and entered the house of Tullius, one of the chief men of the city, and a former enemy of his "My name," he said, "is Coriolanus-the only reward now remaining for all my services. I am an exile from Rome, my country; I seek refuge in the house of my enemy. If you will use my services, I will serve you well; if you would rather take vengeance on me, strike, I am ready." Tullius at once accepted the offer of the banished noble, and it was now resolved to make war against Rome, with Coriolanus at the head of the invading army. The Romans were wholly unprepared to resist the attack, and it soon became evident that they must open their gates to the enemy if they could not arrange terms of peace. Coriolanus was bent on vengeance, and refused to listen to any proposals. As a last resource it was resolved to try the effect of an embassy of Roman matrons, in the hope that their tears and entreaties might move the heart of the conqueror with pity. Volumnia, the mother of the exile, was prevailed upon to head the mournful train, and Virgilia his wife, leading her two sons by the hand, also joined the procession. Coriolanus beheld them from afar, as he was sitting on a raised seat among the Volscian chiefs, and resolved to send them back with a stern denial. But when they came near, and he saw his mother at the head of the forlorn hope," he sprang from his seat, and was about to kiss her. But she drew back with all the loftiness of a Roman matron, and said: "Art thou my son, and I thy mother? or art thou the general of the Volscian foe, and I a prisoner in his camp? Before I offer thee my cheek to kiss, answer that question." Coriolanus was silent, and his mother added: "Shall it be said that it is to me-to me alone-that Rome owes her conqueror and oppressor? Had I never been a mother, my country had still been free. I am too old to feel this misery long; but look to thy wife and little ones, for in enslaving thy country thou art rendering them slaves." The fierce Roman's heart quailed before the indignant words of her whom he had feared and honoured from his childhood; and when his wife and children added their soft prayers to the lofty supplications of his mother, he turned to her, and said with great bitterness, "O my mother! thou hast delivered Rome, but destroyed thy son." So he drew off his army, and Rome was saved. Coriolanus, who was rightly suspected by the Volscians of retreating when the city was in their grasp, was soon afterwards slain in a tumult. THE SHEPHERD'S WIFE'S SONG. Ан, what is love? It is a pretty thing, For kings have cares that wait upon a crown, If country loves such sweet desires do gain, His flocks are folded, he comes home at night, And merrier too, For kings bethink them what the state require, |