VI.-The Swallow.

Dif'fer-ent, distinct; un- | Sym'pa-thy, fellow-feel

like.

ing.

Spe'cies (shēz), a sort; Mus'cle (mus'sl), fleshy

class of nature. Cres'cent, shaped like the new moon; increasing. Eave, that part of the roof which overhangs the walls. Twit'ter, to make a sharp tremulous noise.

fibres. In-trûd'er, one who presents himself where he has no right to be. Pro-dig'ious,

monstrous.

amazing;

Pyr'a-mid, a pillar ending in a point.

Or the swallow there are different species. The one with which we are best acquainted in this country, is the common Martin. It is about five inches and a half in length; of a black blue colour above, and white beneath. It is found throughout Europe and Asia; and is more abundant in Great Britain than the common swallow which precedes it, and which may be known by its chesnut forehead, by its black, sharp, crescent-shaped tail, and by its circling, varied, and commonly low flight. The nest of the martin is composed of layers of mud and clay, lined with feathers, and having a hole above for the entrance of the birds. It is in general fixed to the eaves of a house, or in the corners of the windows. The martin skims through the air with great swiftness in pursuit of its prey, which consists of flies, gnats, and other insects, and which it always seizes on the wing. The swallows are always up by

day-break; and you must have often heard them twittering about your window when you happened to be early awake. During the whole day they are flying about, catching food for themselves and their young. As soon as they have got a few flies, they hasten to their nests, pop into the hole, and feed their little ones. It is amazing how many visits of this kind they pay to their nests in the course of the day.

Some curious anecdotes are told of martins or swallows, which show that they have a sympathy with one another, and know how to express it. A nest was observed to have fallen by some accident from the corner of a window, and the poor birds seemed to be much affected by the loss. But it was not long before a great number of their fellows collected, and assisted them in rebuilding their dwelling, which was speedily effected by so many active labourers. A cock-sparrow had got into a martin's nest, while the owner was abroad; and when he returned, the saucy intruder put his head out of the hole, and pecked at the martin as he attempted to enter his own house. The poor martin was sadly provoked at this injustice, but was unable by his own strength to drive the enemy out, and to punish him. So he flew away and gathered a large flock of swallows, who all came with a bit of clay in their bills, and plastered up the hole of the

nest, so that the sparrow could not escape, and died for want of food and air, in the prison to which he was thus confined.

Swallows migrate. In autumn, when it begins to be cold weather, they assemble in great numbers upon the roof of high buildings, and prepare for their departure to a warmer country; and this is a wise arrangement in the Author of nature, for as all the insects here die in winter, they would have no food to support them if they were to stay. They take several short flights round and round, in order, we suppose, to try their strength; and then, on some fine calm day, they set out together for a long journey southwards, over sea and land, to a very distant country. They steer their course through the wide vacant air directly, and with unerring certainty, to the precise spot that suits them, which is thought to be in Africa, where the weather is always warm, and insects are to be met with all the year. It is God who inspires them with this tendency to migrate, and implants in them that curious instinct which not only impels them to go away at a certain season, but teaches them where they are to go, and what direction they are to take. Sometimes storms and contrary winds meet them, and when exposed to the danger of being driven into the sea, they have been known to alight, and rest themselves, on such ships as were within their reach. In spring they return to these northern countries.

The swallow is furnished with great strength of wing to enable it to perform these long journeys. You are acquainted with its slender form, so well adapted for cutting through the air, and its long beautiful wings. Each of these wings is moved by a muscle of prodigious power, situated on each side of the breastbone. The weight of these muscles greatly exceeds the weight of the flesh of all the other parts of the body. The swallow is able to fly at the rate of more than a hundred miles in an hour. The little bird that perched on your chimney this morning, may perch tomorrow night upon one of the pyramids of Egypt, and next week may be at the Cape of Good Hope.-VARIOUS.

VII. The Coffee Tree.

A-bun'dant-ly, plentifully. Ex-hale', to send or draw Na'tive, an original inhabitant. Culture, the act of cultivation. [bunches. Clus'ter, to grow in Perfume, sweet odour; fragrance.

out vapours or fumes. Fo'li-age, tufts of leaves. Tran'si-ent (she), soon past. Shriv'el, to contract into wrinkles. Ex-tract', to draw out.

COFFEE is so named from the kingdom of Caffa, in Africa, where it grows abundantly. It was known in London for the first time about two hundred years ago. It is a native

of Arabia, but is cultivated in the West Indies, and many other parts. It is a very handsome plant, from fifteen to eighteen feet high; but when under culture, it is kept at five or six feet, for the convenience of collecting the ripe berries. The trees are planted in regular rows; and when they are in full bloom, nothing can exceed the beauty of their pure, white clustered flowers, and the sweet perfume which they exhale; the air is filled with fragrance, and the trees seem as if covered with a shower of snow, affording a fine contrast to the dark green foliage. But this enchanting scene is of transient duration; the flowers decay in a few hours after they are full blown, and all the beauty and fragrance which delighted the senses in the morning have vanished before noon. The berries, which succeed the flowers, are first green, when fully grown become red, ripen into a dark purple, and if not gathered, at last shrivel and drop from the tree. The fruit is fit for collecting about seven months from the appearance of the flowers. The fruit, when ripe, is like a small oval cherry, and generally contains two seeds. These seeds, after being carefully extracted and dried, are packed up in large bags or chests, and exported to various parts of the world. Before being used they are roasted in an iron cylinder turned rapidly by the hand over the fire, by which the berries become roasted equally all over; they are