they sang their beautiful notes on the wing, till I could see them no longer.

'Up springs the lark,

'Shrill-voiced and loud, the messenger of morn;
'Ere yet the shadows fly, he, mounted, sings
'Amid the dawning clouds.'

If, in his descent, he hears the voice of his mate, you may observe him fall to the earth apparently like a stone. This, however, does not take place during the period of incubation, or before the young birds have left their nest. At those times I have observed that the lark, in his descent, flies along the surface of the field, and alights at some distance from his nest. It is evident that this foresight is given to it by its benevolent Creator for the better preservation of its young; as, if it alighted at its nest, the spot might easily be watched, and its young fall a prey to some marauding ploughboy.

I have now done with the lark, but it is a great favourite; and notwithstanding all that poets have said of the nightingale, it is, perhaps, listened to during its aërial flights with more pleasure than any other songster we have.

To hear the lark begin his flight,
And singing, startle the dull night
'From his watch-tow'r in the skies,
'Till the dapple dawn doth rise;

Then to come in spite of sorrow,
'And at my window bid good morrow.'

MILTON'S L'Allegro.

'By Nature led,

A thousand shifts she tries.'

SOMERVILLE.

ANIMALS which prowl or move about much in the dark, are furnished with projecting hairs or whiskers from the upper lips, which guide them in their passage through runs in hedges or holes. These hairs serve as feelers, and are exactly of such a length, that the body of the animal will pass through any opening which these projecting hairs do not touch on either side. They are very sensitive, and if they are ever so slightly touched while the animal sleeps, it is instantly aware of it. Hares very often make their runs or mews between two strong upright sticks in a hedge, which will just allow them to pass through, without being sufficiently large to admit the passage of a dog, should it be in pursuit. This is a very extraordinary instinct, and shows a great foresight of danger. In passing through this passage at night, these feelers must be of great service to the animal, who without them would probably run against objects which might injure it. Horses have these strong hairs both on the upper and lower lips, but they are probably designed for another use-that of keeping flies and insects from annoying them by

getting into their nostrils while they are grazing. They are sufficiently close together for that purpose, and, moving as they do, while the horse is feeding, serve to brush away anything offensive. Some animals are not furnished in this way, but then they are provided with something which protects them equally well from a similar annoyance. The elephant, for instance, has a sort of valve placed at the extremity of his proboscis, which he carefully closes when he is not using it, to prevent anything getting up his trunk which might injure him. His eyes are small; but, if they were in proportion to his size, he could not, with his peculiar formation, protect them so readily from injury in countries where insects are very formidable. He is, however, furnished with large pendant ears, which serve him as flappers in protecting his head from flies. Indeed, there are few, if any animals, which are not provided with sufficient means to guard themselves from injuries from those creatures who may annoy, but do not prey upon them. They have also some instinctive or actual properties, which enable them in some degree to secure themselves against the attacks of stronger animals, who, however, must have food, and generally obtain it only by great exertion or watchfulness. We see this in every gradation in the animal world, and it is a striking instance of that order in nature which serves to keep up a due proportion of each created thing, without

suffering any one species to be exterminated. This would be the case if too much facility were afforded to predatory animals of securing the weaker ones whenever they pleased. A lion or a tiger has to wait long in ambush, and to exert much patience and watchfulness, before it can find an opportunity of springing upon its prey. This is the case with the cat, fox, and some other animals, and occurs also amongst amphibia and even insects. What is wanting in swiftness is made up in cunning; so that, in some cases, even a semblance of death is put on for the purpose of securing food more readily.

I have entered into these remarks, because I have always considered the subject worthy of attention. How much would our actual enjoyment and comforts in this world be diminished if any one of the various species of quadrupeds, birds, or insects, which we see about us, were suffered to increase in too great a proportion! We can hardly form a calculation of the greatness of the evil either to ourselves or to the different created objects. At present, however, everything is most beautifully ordered and arranged, and no one species predominates too much over another. Those which are most useful to man multiply in a much greater proportion than others which are noxious. The latter, however, have their appointed use, and are made instruments in the hands of a superintending Deity for good. To a contemplative mind it is often a fearful consideration to reflect on

the various modes of existence, and the different bodies wherein it has pleased God to cause life to dwell; many of which are subjected to great sufferings, and especially from one part of the creation preying upon another. What, however, many have brought forward as an argument of the want of mercy and justice in Almighty God, is, on the contrary, a proof of His goodness and benevolence.

The means which Nature takes to secure every race from becoming extinct, is to produce them in superabundance. The only way, therefore, of preventing them from overrunning the earth, is to produce enemies who shall prey upon and keep them within due limits. These different races, unless they were killed by their enemies, would increase beyond the supply of their food, so that the ordinary course of death amongst them would be the most painful one that can be imagined, namely, starvation. The real effect, therefore, of what may appear a disorder and cruelty in Nature, is, in point of fact, a mercy, as the individuals are taken off by a sudden death, in the height of their vigour, instead of being subject to the alternative of the lingering and protracted one which a want of food must have occasioned.

How admirable, therefore, are the works of God! ⚫ how excellent the operations of his hands!

I considered plants and animals; four-footed beasts, and creeping things;

In all was manifested infinite wisdom, and an