11. Most lovely are the colours of some snakes when exposed to the rays of a tropical sun, but they fade in death, and cannot possibly be restored by any application at present known.

12. All snakes, in gliding onwards, take a motion from right to left, or vice versa, but never up and down, the whole extent of the body being in contact with the ground, saving the head, which is somewhat elevated. This is equally observable, both on land and in water. When we see a snake represented in an up-anddown attitude, we therefore know the artist is to blame.

13. In no instance have I seen a snake act on the offensive. But when roused into action by the fear of sudden danger, 'tis then that in self-defence a snake will punish the intruder by a prick, not a laceration, from the poison fang, fatal or not fatal according to its size or virulence. WATERTON.

Grammar. (1) Analyse "Between me and the church spire rose a little hill.” (2) Parse words in italics. (3) Form adjectives from following verbs:attend, expend, teach, read. (4) What conjunctions are used with the subjunctive mood?

LESSON IV.

INSTINCT.

instinct, the natural impulse by which natural element, proper place in

animals are guided.

developed, brought out; full-grown. quail, a migratory or wandering bird like the partridge.

voluntary motions, movements of its own will.

which to live.

subterraneous, underground.
functions, powers.

threatening aspect, the appearance of
intending to do harm.

hereditary domain, its place by right.

foster parent, one who rears another entirely submitted, quite left to.

in place of the parent.

prostrate, lying at length.

elements, earth, air, fire, and water are often spoken of as " elements."

1. Young birds cannot fly as soon as they are hatched, because they have no wing feathers; but as soon as these are developed, and even before they are perfectly strong, they use their wings, fly, and quit their nests, without any education from their parents. Compare a young quail, when a few days old, with a child of as many months. He flies, runs, seeks his food, avoids danger, and obeys the calls of his mother; whilst a child is perfectly helpless, and can perform few voluntary motions, has barely learnt to grasp, and can neither stand nor walk.

2. Look at common domestic poultry. As soon as they are excluded from the egg, they run round their mother, nestle in her feathers, and obey her call, without education. She leads them to some spot

where there is soft earth or dung, and instantly begins scratching with her feet.

3. The chickens watch her motions with the utmost attention. If an earthworm or ant is turned up, they instantly seize and devour it, but they avoid eating sticks, grass, or straw; and, though the hen shows them the example of picking up the grain, they do not imitate her in this respect, but for some days prefer ants to a barley-corn.

4. Does the mother see the shadow of a kite on the ground, or hear his scream in the air? She instantly utters a shrill, suppressed cry; the chickens, though born that day, and searching round her with glee and admiration for the food which her feet were providing for them, instantly appear as if thunderstruck. Those close to her, couch down and hide themselves in the straw; those further off, without moving from the place, remain prostratethe hen looks upward with a watchful eye-nor do they resume their feeding till they have been called again by the cluck of their mother, and warned that the danger is over.

5. Examine young ducks which have

been hatched under a hen; they no sooner quit the shell than they fly to their natural element, the water, in spite of the great anxiety and terror of their foster-parent, who in vain repeats the sound to which

her natural children are SO obedient. Being in the water, they seize insects of every kind, which they can only know from their instincts to be good for food.

A

of Ceylon. On the bank of a lake he saw some fragments of shells of the eggs of the alligator, and heard a subterraneous sound. His curiosity was excited, and he was induced to search beneath the surface of the sand. Besides two or three young animals lately come from the shell, he found several eggs which were still entire. He broke the shell of one of them, when a young alligator came forth, apparently perfect in all its functions and motions, and, when my friend touched it with a stick, it assumed a threatening aspect, and bit the stick with violence. It made towards the water, which (though born by the influence of the sunbeams on the burning sand) it seemed to know was its natural and hereditary domain. Here is an animal which, deserted by its parents, and entirely submitted to the mercy of nature and the elements, must die if it had to acquire its knowledge; but all its powers are given, all its wants supplied, and even its means of offence and defence implanted, by strong and perfect instincts.

7. I will mention one fact more. The young cuckoo is produced from an egg