LESSONS IN FRENCH.-XXXIV. SECTION LXV.-IDIOMS RELATING TO AVOIR, ETC. 1. Avoin mal means to have a pain or ache, a sore. When used in relation to one of the limbs, it means generally to have a sore, a bruise, a cut, etc. The name of the part of the body is preceded by the preposition à and the article [Sect. LXII. 5, § 77 (9)]. N'avez-vous pas mal au doigt? Je n'ai pas mal à la tête, J'ai une douleur au bras, Have you not a sore finger? I have a pain in my arm. your little boy a sore throat? 8. He has a sore throat. 9. Has not your eldest sister the toothache? 10. She has not the toothache, but she has a sore finger. 11. Why does not the soldier walk? 12. He cannot walk, he has a sore foot. 13. Have you not sore feet? 14. My feet are not sore. 15. If your finger were sore would you write? 16. If I had sore fingers I should not write. 17. If your brother had the headache would he study his lesson? 18. He could not study his lesson if he had the headache. 19. Has not that gentleman pains in his chest? 20. He has pains in his chest and in his 2. Avoir une douleur, or des douleurs, corresponds to the side. 21. Has your little girl black eyes or blue eyes? 22. English to have a pain or pains. She has black eyes and a fresh complexion. 23. Has not your daughter the toothache ? 24. She has the toothache and the earache. 25. Are not your hands and feet cold? 26. My hands are cold, but my feet are warm. 27. Have not those ladies aquiline noses? 28. They have aquiline noses and a fair complexion (le teint beau). 29. Has your sister large hands? 30. No, Sir, my sister has small hands. 31. Have not those little girls hurt their heads? 32. They have not hurt 3. The construction mentioned in Rule 1 is used after avoir, taken in the sense of tenir, to hold, and after avoir froid and avoir chaud [Sect. LXII. 5]. Vous avez les armes à la main, J'ai chaud aux mains et aux pieds, You have the arms in your hands. black hair (cheveux). 4. The article le, etc., is used before words indicating moral their heads, they have hurt their faces. 33. That little boy has and physical properties, in cases where the English use a or an, or omit the article. When, however, an adjective precedes the noun, un, une, or de, des, are at times used. SECTION LXVI.—IDIOMS RELATING TO AVOIR AND ÉPOUSER. M. G. et Mlle. L. sont mariés, My hands are warm and my feet Mon frère va se marier, cold. Your sisters have a delicato taste. Those gentlemen have Roman noses. VOCABULARY. Mal de gorge, m., sore Noir, -e, black. Mal d'oreille, m., ear- Presque, almost. ache. Mémoire, f., memory. EXERCISE 125. Teint, m., 2. Oui, Monsieur, 1. Ce jeune homme a-t-il mal à la gorge? il y a deux jours qu'il a le mal de gorge. 3. Avez-vous souvent mal à la tête? 4. J'ai le mal de tête presque tous les jours. 5. N'avez-vous pas mal au bras? 6. J'ai mal au bras et à la main. 7. Votre sœur a-t-elle le mal d'oreille? 8. Oui, Madame, elle a le mal d'oreille et le mal de dents. 9. N'avez-vous pas froid à la tête? 10. Non, Monsieur, mais j'ai froid aux doigts. 11. N'avez-vous point froid au visage? 12. Non, Monsieur, je n'y ai point froid. 13. Ce monsieur a-t-il le nez aquilin? 14. Il a le nez aquilin et la bouche grande. 15. Cette demoiselle a-t-elle de belles dents? 16. Elle a de belles dents et de beaux yenx. 17. Ce petit garçon a-t-il les pieds petits? 18. Il a les pieds petits et les mains grandes. 19. Votre nièce n'a-t-elle pas les yeux bleus ? 20. Non, Monsieur, elle a les yeux noirs. 21. Vos écoliers se sont-ils fait mal au visage? 22. Ils se sont fait mal à la poitrine. 23. Vos filles ont-elles une bonne mémoire ? 24. Elles ont la mémoire excellente. 25. Ces Italiennes n'ont pas le teint frais. EXERCISE 126. 1. What is the matter with your hand? 2. I have had a sore hand these ten days. 3. Has your brother sore fingers? 4. He has sore fingers and a sore hand. 5. What has your brother in his hand? 6. He has a pen in his hand. 7. Has Mr. L. has married his daughter to Mr. G. has married Mr. L.'s daugh Mr. G. and Miss L. are married. demoiselle a-t-elle épousé? 10. Elle a épousé M. L., capitaine au 25ème régiment d'infanterie. 11. Ce vieillard n'a-t-il pas tort de se marier? 12. Il n'a pas tort de se marier, mais il a tort d'épouser cette demoiselle. 13. Quand ces princesses vontelles se marier? 14. Elles se marieront le mois prochain. 15. Qui les mariera? 16. L'évêque d'Arras les mariera. 17. Qui doivent-elles épouser? 18. L'aînée doit épouser M. W. et la cadette M. G. 19. Le capitaine G. n'a-t-il pas épousé une de vos parentes? 20. Oui, Monsieur, il a épousé une de mes consines. 21. Qui est cette demoiselle? 22. C'est une de mes sœurs. 23. N'avez-vous pas un de mes livres? 24. J'ai un de vos livres et une de vos plumes. 25. Je viens de parler à une de vos soeurs. EXERCISE 128. 1. Is your brother going to marry Miss L.? 2. Yes, Sir, it is in vain for us to speak to him, he will marry her. 3. Will not your father marry your sister to Mr. G.? 4. No, Sir, he will marry her to Mr. L. 5. Is Captain H. married? 6. No, Sir, he is not yet married, but he will be married next year. 7. Whom does he intend to marry? 8. He intends to marry a cousin of mine, who is at my brother's. 9. Who will marry them? 10. My eldest brother intends to marry them. 11. Is your youngest sister married? 12. No, Sir, she is not married. 13. Is she going to be married? 14. She will marry when she is [Sect. LX. 5] old enough (assez âgée). 15. Whom did Colonel J. marry? 16. He married a sister of mine. 17. How long have they been married [Sect. LVI. 2]? 18. They have been married two years. 19. Is not that young lady wrong to get married? 20. She is wrong to marry, she is too young. 21. Who married General S. and Miss N.? 22. The Bishop of Arras married them. 23. Did not the Archbishop of York marry that couple? 24. The Archbishop of Paris married them. 25. Will not your aunt marry? 26. She will not marry. 27. Is not your sister at home? 28. No, Sir, she is with (chez) an aunt of mine. 29. Is your brother at your house? 30. No, Sir, he is with one of my relations. 31. Is he married? He is not married. 33. Is Captain H. married? 34. He was married last week. 35. He married Miss H. KEY TO EXERCISES IN LESSONS IN FRENCH. 32. 1. How many potatoes has your brother? 2. He has not many. 3. Has the grocer much sugar in his warehouse? 4. He has but little, but he has much butter and pepper. 5. Has your gardener many cherries? 6. He has more cherries than plums. 7. Are plums better than cherries? 8. Cherries are better thau plums. 9. Have you a few ripe pears? 10. We have a few, we have also many pine-apples and apricots. 11. Has your uncle anything good in his garden? 12. He has something good and beautiful. 13. He has beautiful vegetables and beautiful flowers. 14. Have you foreign flowers? 15. I have a few. 16. Which have you? 17. I have your brother's and your gardener's. 18. Have you not mine also? 19. No, Sir, I have them not. 20. Who has many? 21. Nobody has many. 22. I have a few. 23. Have you tea enough? 24. I have enough. 25. I have more than he. EXERCISE 30 (Vol. I., page 116). 6. EXERCISE 31 (Vol. I., page 132). 1. Is the horse which you have good? 2. It is better than that which you have, and than that of our friend. 3. How many children have you? 4. I have only one, but the Italian has more than I. 5. Is it the tenth of September? 6. No, Sir, it is the ninth of February. 7. Have you my silk cravat or my muslin cravat? 8. I have both. 9. Have you eight kilogrammes of cinnamon? 10. No, Sir, I have only half a kilogramme. 11. How many francs have you, Sir? 12. I have only half a franc, but my friend has a frane and a half. 13. Has your sister twenty-five centimes? 14. Yes, Sir, she has a quarter of a franc. 15. Is it not the first of August? 16. No, Sir, it is the sixth of September. 17. Is to-day the tenth? 18. No, Sir, it is the eleventh. 19. Has your brother the first place? 20. No, Sir, be has the tenth. 21. Has your joiner many tools? 22. Yes, Sir, he has many. 23. Has that work ten volumes? 21. No, Sir, it has only nine. 25. I have the sixth volume of Molière's works, and the first volume of Michelet's History of France. EXERCISE 32 (Vol. I., page 132). 1. Cette cannelle est-elle bonne ? 2. Cette cannelle est meilleure que la vôtre et que celle de votre frère. 3. Quel jour du mois avons. nous aujourd'hui ? 4. Nous avons le six. 5. Votre père a-t-il vingt francs? 6. Non, Monsieur, il n'a que six francs cinquante centimes. 7. Combien de volumes votre ouvrage a-t-il ? 8. Il en a beaucoup, il en a quinze. 9. Le menuisier a-t-il lu le deuxième volume de l'histoire de France de Michelet? 10. Oui, Monsieur, il en a la le deuxième volume. 11. Votre ami a-t-il les œuvres de Molière? 12. Il n'en a que deux volumes. 13. Avez-vous mon habit de drap ou mon habit de velours? 14. Nous avons l'un et l'autre. 15. Nous avons celui-ci et celui-là. 16. Combien de cannelle avez-vous? 17. Nous en avons deux kilogrammes. 18. Combien de centimes le marchand a-t-il ? 19. Il en a vingt-six. 20. Avez-vous la troisième ou la quatrième place? 21. Je n'ai ni la troisième ni la quatrième, j'ai la dixième. 22. N'avez-vous pas honte aujourd'hui ? 23. Non, Monsieur, je n'ai pas honte, mais j'ai peur. 24. Avez-vous un quart de franc? 25. Non, Monsieur, mais j'ai un demi-franc. 26. Avons-nous le six juillet? 27. Non, Monsieur, nous avons le quatre mars. 28. Votre oncle a-t-il six enfants? 29. Non, Monsieur, il n'en a qu'un. 30. 31. Je n'en ai que cinq kiloAvez-vous dix kilogrammes de viande? grammes. 32. La viande du boucher est-elle bonne? 33. Elle n'est pas très-bonne. 34. Combien de kilogrammes en avez-vous? 35. Je n'en ai que deux, mais mon frère en a quatre. EXERCISE 33 (Vol. I., page 148). 1. Is your brother-in-law older than mine? 2. Yours is younger than mine. 3. How old is your mother-in-law? 4. She is nearly fifty years old. 5. What o'clock is it now? 6. It is past six. 7. Are you certain of that? 8. Yes, Sir, I am certain of it. 9. Is it not more than two by your watch? 10. It is only twelve by my watch. 11. Are you more than five years old, my child? 12. I am not yet four. 13. Have you more than six yards of printed calico? 14. I have less than three yards. 15. How many ells of ribbon has your father-inlaw? 16. He has but little ribbon, he has but half an ell. 17. Is it a quarter to twelve? 18. It is later, Sir, it is a quarter after twelve. 19. What day of the month is it? 20. It is the sixth of October. 21. Is it not the eighth of February? 22. No, Madam, it is the eighth of March. 23. How many gardens has your first cousin? 24. He has only one, but it is very beautiful. 25. He has more than ten. EXERCISE 34 (Vol. I., page 148). 1. Quel âge votre beau-frère a-t-il? 2. Il a cinquante ans. 3. Votre belle-sœur est-elle plus âgée que la mienne? 4. Non, Monsieur, ma belle-sœur est plus jeune que la vôtre. 5. Votre fils a-t-il vingt-cing ans? 6. Non, Madame, il n'en a que seize. 7. Quel jour du mois 1. Votre jardinier a-t-il beaucoup de légumes? 2. Oui, Monsieur, avons-nous aujourd'hui ? 8. Nous avons le onze. 9. Avez-vous le il en a beaucoup. 3. Combien de jardins a-t-il ? 4. Il a plusicurs vingtième volume des œuvres de Chateaubriand? 10. Non, Madame, jardins et plusieurs maisons. 5. Avez-vous beaucoup de livres? nous en avons le onzième. 11. Quelle heure est-il, Monsieur? 12. Il Je n'en ai guère, mais mon ami en a beaucoup. 7. Quel habit votre n'est que midi. 13. N'est-il pas plus tard? 14. Il est une heure frère a-t-il? 8. Il a un bon habit de drap. 9. Votre oncle a-t-il moins un quart. 15. Il est cinq heures et quart. 16. Combien de beaucoup de pêches? 10. Il n'a pas beaucoup de pêches, mais il a metres de cette toile d'Hollande avez-vous? 17. J'en ai dix aunes et beaucoup de cerises. 11. Combien de prunes le tailleur a-t-il ? 12. demie. 18. J'en ai six yards, et seize yards de soie italienne. 19. Le tailleur n'a pas de prunes, il a du drap et de la soie. 13. Quelle Votre belle-mère est-elle plus jeune que votre beau-père? 20. Elle est soie votre ami le marchand a-t-il ? 14. Il a beaucoup de soie et beau-, plus jeune que lui. 21. Avez-vous vingt ans? 22. Non, Monsieur, je coup d'argent. 15. Le jardinier a-t-il quelque chose de bon dans son n'ai que dix-neuf aus et demi. 23. Êtes-vous sûr qu'il est dix heures? jardin ? 16. Il a beaucoup d'anauas. 17. A-t-il plus de légumes que 24. Oui, Madame, j'en suis sûr. 25. Est-il dix heures moins vingt de fruit? 18. Il a plus de ceux-ci que de ceux-là. 19. Votre oncle a-t-il minutes? 26. Non, Monsieur, il est midi moins un quart. 27. Combeaucoup de poires et de cerises? 20. Il en a quelques-unes, et il a bien de maisons avez-vous? 28. Je n'en ai qu'une, mais ma bellebeaucoup de pommes et de prunes. 21. En avez-vous quelques-unes? sœur en a deux. 29. Avez-vous la mienne ou la vôtre? 30. Je n'ai 22. J'en ai encore beaucoup, mais mon frère n'en a plus. 23. Quelles ni la vôtre ni la mienne, j'ai celle de votre beau-fils. 31. Votre belle pêches a-t-il? 2. Il a de grosses pêches. 25. Lesquelles avez-vous? mère a-t-elle cinq mètres de cette indienne? 32. Elle n'en a que deux. 26. J'ai les meilleures pêches? 27. Le marchand a-t-il quelque chose 33. Quelle heure est-il à votre montre? 34. Il est quatre heures et de bon dans son magasin? 28. Il n'a rien de bon dans son magasin, demie à ma montre. 35. Il est plus de sept heures à la mienne. mais il a quelque chose de bon dans son jardin. 29. Combien de pommes de terre l'étranger a-t-il ? 30. Il n'en a pas beaucoup. EXERCISE 35 (Vol. I., page 175). 31. A-t-il de bons légumes? 32. Il a de bons légumes. 33. t-il raison ou tort? 34. Il a raison, mais vous avez tort. 35. Il i ce livre-ci ni celui-là, il a celui du libraire. do. 1. Has your mother-in-law anything to do? 2. She has nothing to 3. Has she two pages to write? 4. No, Sir, she has only one. 5. Do you intend to read this newspaper? 6. Yes, Madam, I intend RECREATIVE NATURAL HISTORY. to read it. 7. Are you right to buy a velvet coat? 8. I am right to buy one. 9. Does your little girl want to sleep? 10. Yes, Sir, she wants to sleep, she is tired. 11. Are you afraid of falling? 12. I am not afraid of falling. 13. Has the gardener time to work in the fields? 14. He has no wish to work in the fields. 15. Are your fields as large as mine? 16. They are larger than yours. 17. Are you ashamed to walk? 18. I am not ashamed to walk, but I am ashamed to dance. 19. How old is your son? 20. He is sixteen. 21. Is it the second of March or the fifth of June? 22. It is the 28th of July. 23. Is it noon? 24. No, Sir, it is not yet twelve, it is only half-past eleven. 25. It is early yet. RECREATIVE NATURAL HISTORY. In our present paper on the swallow we must limit our remarks to the four British species: the Chimney Swallow, House Martin, Sand Martin, and Swift. The Alpine, or white-breasted swift, the spine-tailed swallow, and the purple martin, cannot be considered British birds, though they may have been seen in our island. Scientifically speaking, the swifts and swallows are included in a group to which the name Hirundonida has been given, from the Latin hirundo, a swallow. This group is subdivided into two lesser groups, under one of which all the swifts are classed, while all the various kinds of swallows and martins are placed in the other. Swifts are distinguished from swallows by the extreme length of the first two primary feathers of the wing. The Chimney Swallow is one of the earliest arrivals, coming from Africa over the English Channel about the middle of April. Of course the birds do not travel direct from Africa in one journey. Italy, Spain, and France become so many stages on the road, where food is picked up, and some rest obtained. There appears to be a little self-will or caprice about some of the birds, a few having been known to show themselves in January, and others waiting till May. Every one seems glad when the first swallow flits across the village green, but we sober English have never kept a "swallow holiday" on the 15th of April, which is, in some parts of Europe, called "swallow day." In ancient Greece the children might well clap their tiny hands when the birds of spring appeared; a holiday being then given to little boys and girls. They danced in the market-places, wove garlands of the early flowers, and shouted in the luxury of childish joy. That was a capital plan for making children love the birds. Why do we call it chimney swallow? Simply from its tendency to build in hollow places, such as old mine-shafts, disused wells, or chimneys. Some of these birds show very odd tastes in selecting a family home. A table drawer had been left open in a room seldom occupied, and, a window-pane being broken, a pair of these swallows appropriated one corner of the drawer for their nest. When the human owner wished to use the table, most emphatic were the remonstrances of the birds. Depart they would not; the hen fluttered her wings, screamed angrily, and plainly intimated that the corner had become her property by right of occupation. This bird logic prevailed; the little family was brought up in safety, and all parties were satisfied. The chimney swallow is easily known by its deeply forked tail, the ruddy hue on its throat, and its lightish tinted breast. The rapid movements of the bird-its sudden darts and turns, now up, now down, over the observer's head, and then skimming the ground in long, arrow-like flights-present a specimen of a living machine in beautiful and perfect action. But, notwithstanding this power of flight, the birds are sometimes completely exhausted by their journeys across the sea. They can battle for a long time with the mere force of a tempest, but when the blast is both cold and strong, the winged voyagers are almost paralysed. A whole army of swallows will then crowd the rigging of some lonely ship, clinging for hours to ropes and spars, until recovered strength again enables them to obey the "forward" impulse. No wonder if these beings of summer climes sometimes marvel at the rough treatment received in our ruder latitudes. A cutting "north-easter" is no smiling reception for a creature which has been basking for months in the sun of Egypt. The result may amaze the swallows, but human philosophy can explain it all. They perish by thousands in such years. On one bitter spring day, a gentleman 239 picked up in the course of his morning's walk ninety-two chimney swallows, not dead, but benumbed by the cold. Being placed in a warm hamper, they all recovered, and flew off the next day. On another occasion numbers were found on the window-sills of a country house, heaped on each other five or six deep. Instinct had clearly led them to seek aid from man. Some may naturally ask, why do the swallows so eagerly rush from the warm regions of the south to battle with the storms of the north? We cannot answer the question; guessing might, of course, be carried to a great extent, but guessing on such subjects is trifling. That there is some wise purpose in the habit we may be sure, or it would not exist. Another remarkable feature about chimney swallows is their courage. Look at these birds fighting with a hawk, and then say whether they are cowards. Of course they suffer for their daring? Not in the least; the hawk gets the worst of it, and retreats in a fury from the inglorious contest. What can the hawk do? He is a brave fellow, but the swallows are too quick for him, darting down on his back, and up again with a speed which baffles the clutch of his talons. He resembles a heavy seventy-four man-of-war surrounded by a fleet of steam gunboats; strength is beaten by speed. The chimney swallow does not come to the British Isles for a holiday, that is certain, but for downright hard work. The building of a house, and the bringing up of two families in one short season, are enough to tax the energies of the most enterprising bird. The parents are so hard pushed for time that the first family often receives warning to quit before its education is quite complete. But the little things soon manage to provide their own food without the aid of the mother bird. The second family sometimes fares the worst, being forced to join in the great autumnal migration as soon as they are able to fly. The assembling of these birds is a well-known sight. How closely they crowd on the house-tops, trees, and railway wires. How silently they sit for awhile, as if reflecting on past errors, or speculating on future mishaps. Then what a sudden burst of chattering is there, as if every bird were determined to force his own particular hobby on his neighbour. Some naturalists have suggested that a few of these birds remain here in a sleeping state during the winter, and reappear, lean and hungry, in the spring. Others laugh at this notion as "absurd," and pooh-pooh the opinion altogether. We venture, however, to agree with those who refuse to believe in the swallow's winter sleep. If some of the birds remain behind, they probably perish from want of insect food, except in those rare winters when frost is almost unknown. The House Martin is easily distinguished by its snowy breast, and noted for the trusting confidence in which it builds its nest above our doors and against our houses. It arrives here somewhat later than the chimney swallow, and is a surer prophet of sunny skies. In this light the ancient poets regarded the martin, singing its praises as the loved herald of flowery meads and laughing hours. Have swallows a good memory? Do the martins really find their way back to the parent nest over African deserts, ocean waves, and Spanish mountains by memory? If so, the organ of locality must be large in their little brains. But then we are cautioned against applying phrenology to the heads of birds, and we therefore pause in the midst of a tempting speculation. The same nest is often used year after year by surviving members of a family, and sometimes a little bird village of nests is formed by the labours of several generations. How do the little builders make the materials of the nest so adhesive that the work adheres not only to a brick wall but to a smooth window-pane? Here, again, the answer comes, we know not." See, too, how careful the birds are to build up little by little, allowing each day's work to harden before a fresh layer is added. All this looks very much like the skill of Devonshire workmen when building the cob-wall"-a composition of mud and chopped straw, used for the upper part of the walls of barns, and even cottages, in some parts of that county. We call this instinct in the birds, but we really know nothing of the matter. Our pretty martin is not always very honest in its notions, even taking possession of a neighbour's house, and then fighting desperately in defence of the wrong. "Just like human beings," some satirists will, perhaps, say. He however, is found in the long run to be the be even among martins; a series of battles, the los feathers, and addled eggs being more grievous than the trouble of making an honest nest. The martins are sometimes strict enough on this matter when an impudent sparrow seizes on one of their nests. Often have all the martins in a neighbourhood united to drag out the intruder and to execute him on the spot. "Serve him right" must be the verdict of all rightfeeling birds. As the martins sometimes hatch four broods in s season, the last family is not unfrequently abandoned when the time comes for the migration. It is very sad and very unromantic; but what can the poor bird-mother do? Food fails; if she stops she dies with her young; by going she preserves her own life at least. Poor thing! it is very hard for her, but she cannot resist the impulse which so strangely bids her go. Sometimes, on returning to the deserted nest in spring, she has actually to remove her dead children from the home in which they were reared. "Sad, but unavoidable," is all we can say, and that is, perhaps, just what the house martin feels. The Sand Martin is the least known, though travellers may often see its nest-holes driven into the sandy slopes and sides of railway cuttings. These holes are usually two feet deep, but sometimes three or even four, the nest being safely hidden in the darkness at the far end. How does this small, greyish-coloured bird pierce such holes in the rock? The beak is the only tool used, serving for both "pick and borer," the claws being partly employed as shovels to clear the loosened sand away. The little workman first drives its beak into the sand, dislodges some earth, then another beakdrive follows, and so on till an excavation is made. The opening is then tunnelled to the required depth by the beak working from the centre of the hole outwards. The whole work is finished in about a fortnight. Some curious people may here ask, why does this little bird not build its nest in darting and wheeling at a speed which would leave the swiftest express train behind. Its velocity of flight has been estimated at ninety miles the hour, and it is not, therefore, surprising that the swift defies the hawk and the eagle, darting with exulting cry almost in the face of the exasperated falcon. Those who examine the black martin will not be much surprised at its power in the air. The extended wings measure eighteen inches, yet the whole bird weighs little above one ounce. Such a living machine may really find it more difficult to descend to the earth than to wander at will on high. The structure of the swift well illustrates what is called the law of compensation; the feebleness of the feet being combined with amazing power of wing. On the other hand, the ostrich has weakness of wing balanced by power of leg and claw. The swift seldom rejoices in a numerous family, two being the usual number, and even these are frequently hurried away in the autumn, almost immediately after leaving the nest. The return of these birds to the same locality, year after year, was fully proved by Dr. Jenner, who cut off two claws from each of twelve swifts, and at the end of seven years some of these marked birds were found in the neighbourhood. Even the injury received was not sufficient to overcome the intensity of local attachment. Do the swallows render any service to mankind? Yes; they keep the insect myriads within safe limits. If one of these birds should eat but a hundred insects aday, the number consumed in a summer by the whole swallow family might puzzle a calculating machine to enumerate. Many a farmer can ruefully remember the ravages which "the fly" has often made among his turnips or in his hopgrounds. He may well look upon the swallows as most useful though unpaid labourers. What a fearful plague some insects might become without such checks, may be inferred from the calculation of Réaumur, that one aphis fly might produce in a single year 5,904,900,000 of its voracious progeny. A pretty family to feast at man's expense! THE CHIMNEY SWALLOW. the manner of its cousins, and escape all this mining work? | Answer again, "cannot tell;" natural history is, all may see, full of mysteries. The sand martins are not without their share of troubles. An enemy gets into the snug nests in the form of a flea, which seems to be peculiar to this bird. Such is the lesson which the microscope teaches, and we cannot disbelieve that clever little instrument. The martin is often worried out of its house by these determined fleas. The Swift is the latest of all our swallow visitors, not generally reaching Britain until May, and bidding us "goodbye" about the middle of August. The peculiar habits and appearance of this bird have suggested the various names of swift, black martin, screech, screamer, squealer, and footless swallow (Cypselus apus). Its rapid flight, strange scream, dark Tely, and feeble feet will explain the origin of all those appellaWhat is the most remarkable quality of the swift? Its 18 power of wing. For sixteen successive hours will continue aloft in the air, not quietly poising itself, but The swallows, could they speak, would have a serious com plaint to make against humanity. They would say that boys are sometimes guilty of damaging their nests, pelting their wives, and knocking down their children by "switching" at them with long rods. The house martins would be loud in their complaints; but we trust that, after this public notice, every boy will repent of his past rudeness and behave better for the future. It is equally wanton and cruel to destroy the wonderful structure which instinct has taught the bird to build for the shelter of itself and its young. Let us now, with one consent, welcome in hamlet, village, and town these confiding summer visitors, wishing them much happiness while here, and giving them a regretful "good-bye" at their departure. COMPARATIVE ANATOMY.-VII. HELMINTHOZOA. ALL the animals of which we have hitherto treated have been inhabitants of the water. Those which form the subject of the present lesson have a very strange habitat. They, for the most part, take up their abode in the interior of other animals, being found in the alimentary canal when they have become completely developed, but occupying all the several soft structures of the bodies of the higher animals when in an immature condition. Some writers have been disposed to treat of them not as a division or class in the animal kingdom, but as a peculiar fauna or assemblage of animals occupying a peculiar locality. Just as we might describe the animals of Europe, dividing that continent into natural districts, and stating what kinds of animals are confined to the Alpine region, what kinds are enigmas. Those who believe that animals were introduced to the globe, created, or derived from one another in the order of their development or position in the scale of Nature-the simplest animals coming first in time-are at a loss to account for the appearance of these animals. Standing next above the Echinodermata, they should precede all the higher grades of animals, and yet their very existence and history implies the presence of animals of a higher grade, who act towards them as hosts. Again, these animals offer strange exceptions to the harmony of Nature. It is true that all animated Nature is a battle-field, in which species carry on their unrelenting hostilities towards one another; but this very strife results in an admirable harmony, there being a place for each species, while each is held in check by the others. The sickly and wretched make way for the robust, and strong, and joyous. On the other hand, that an otherwise strong and robust animal should L. HEAD AND FOREPART OF THE BODY OF TENIA SOLIUM, SHOWING THE HOOKS AND SUCKERS. II. ONE JOINT OF THE SAME TAKEN FROM NEAR THE TAIL-END OF THE ANIMAL, SHOWING THE CENTRAL REPRODUCTIVE ORGANS WITH THEIR DUCTS LEADING TO THE SIDE, AND ALSO THE WATER-VASCULAR SYSTEM. III. HEAD OF THE LARVA OF TENIA SOLIUM (CYSTICERCUS) PROJECTING INTO THE BLADDER-LIKE CYST. IV. DISTOMA CONJUNCTUM. V. LIVER FLUKE (FASCIOLA HEPATICUM), SHOWING THE BRANCHING ALIMENTARY CANAL AND THE TWO SUCKERS. VI. OXYURIS VERMICULARIS (MALE). Refs. to Nos. in Figs.-IV. 1, double alimentary canal; 2, mouth sucker; 3, ventral sucker; 4, water-vascular system; 5, female organ; 6, glands which form the egg-yolk; 7, male organs. partial to the plains, etc.: so would these authors consider the | VOL. II. become the prey of internal parasites, which do not strike it down and put it at once out of its misery, but cause emaciation and slow and painful death, seems strange, when we consider that the whole of creation was fashioned to one design by a supreme and benevolent Being. These remarks are, of course, only offered to show how impossible it is for us to understand or account for all the works of the Infinite. One of the best known and most typical forms of the lowest sub-class of Helminthozoa, is the common tapeworm, called Tania solium. The name Tania means a band, and is given because of the long, flat, strap-shaped character of the animal's body. The specific or trivial name, solium, meaning solitary, was given because it was at first imagined that only one of these animals were ever found in one person at once. This, however, has been proved to be a mistake. This disgusting creature is found in the alimentary It is often many feet or even yards in length. armed with two kinds of organs for effecting its a man. |