Lesson 159.-p. 94.

Bees.

1. The working bees perform all the labour of building the cells; they also guard the hive and the queen, collect and store the honey, make the wax, and feed the young. 2. In constructing their houses, they first gather a kind of cement from the gummy buds of flowers, which they knead into little balls with their proboscis and legs, and carry it away to stop up all the crevices, and make the hive safe from all intruders.

3. This done, they next fetch matter for their wax, which is made from the fine dust or pollen found in flowers; this the bees first eat, and it is then changed to wax in the stomach. 4. From this wax, one set of workers construct cells, having six sides, and of the most beautiful regularity. 5. By giving the cells this shape, the greatest number possible is contained in any given space-an arrangement which long puzzled the wisest men, but which these little creatures, taught by their own Divine Author, had practised from the first hour of their creation. to hold honey closely covered by lids, and partly as nests in which to place their eggs.

6. These cells are used partly

7. When a number of cells are completed, the queen bee begins to lay her eggs. 8. During this process, she is attentively fed and followed by the workers, who remove every egg, and place it in a separate cell. 9. During the summer, it has been calculated that a single queen will produce forty thousand eggs. She first lays the eggs which are to give birth to working bees, then the drones, and lastly a few are stored away in cells set apart for this particular purpose, for a supply of queens, lest the present sovereign should be destroyed, or the hive should become tco populous.

Lesson 160.-p. 94.

The Changes of the Butterfly.

1. Any one who examines a cabbage-leaf, will find little parcels of eggs; and if these are watched, caterpillars will be found to come from them. 2. Each has sixteen short legs, twelve eyes, which are exceedingly small, and a pair of jaws, with which, as it crawls, it is constantly eating.

3. Each creature gradually increases in size, changes its skin several times, and then seeks out some concealed place, either in wells or under ground. 4. It then loses its caterpillar form, and becomes a chrysalis or pupa; that is, an eggshaped case, inclosing a living creature. 5. In this state, it has neither mouth nor eyes, legs nor wings; it does not eat, but lies torpid. It continues in this condition for several months, when, escaping from its confinement, it comes forth a butterfly.

6. As a butterfly, it is furnished with beautiful wings, and six legs; has no jaws, but a curled trunk or proboscis for sipping honey, has two long horns springing from its head, and only two eyes.

COURSE III.·

FABLES, NARRATIVES, ETC.

CHAPTER VI.

FABLES, NARRATIVES, ETC.

SECTION I.-FABLES.

Lesson 161.-p. 96.

The Fox and the Raven.

1, 2. A fox observing a raven on the branch of a tree with a piece of cheese in her mouth, considered how he might possess himself of this. 3. "I am glad," said he, "to see you this morning, for your beautiful shape and shining feathers are the delight of my eyes. 4. The favour of a song will doubtless show that your voice is equal to your other accomplishments." 5, 6. The raven, deceived with this speech, opened her mouth to sing, when the cheese dropped, which the fox having snatched up (or snatched up) in triumph left her (or leaving) to lament her vanity.

Lesson 162.-p. 96.

The Daw with borrowed Feathers.-(Analysis.)

1. A conceited jackdaw was vain enough to imagine that he wanted nothing but the coloured plumes to render him as elegant a bird as the peacock.

2. Being puffed up with this wise conceit, he dressed himhimself with a sufficient quantity of their most beautiful feathers.

3. In this borrowed garb, he forsook his old companions, and endeavoured to pass for a peacock.

4. No sooner, however, did he attempt to associate with these genteel creatures, than an affected strut betrayed the vain pretender.

5. The offended peacocks, plucking from him their degraded feathers, soon stripped him of his finery.

6. Being thus reduced to a mere jackdaw, he was driven back to his brethren; by whom he was now equally despised, and justly punished with derision and contempt.

Lesson 163.-p. 97.

The Wolf and the Lamb. - (Connection.)

1. A wolf and a lamb were accidentally quenching their thirst at the same rivulet. 2. The wolf stood towards the head of the stream, and the lamb at some distance below. 3. The wolf being determined to quarrel, fiercely demanded why she durst disturb the water which he was drinking. 4. To which the lamb, trembling, replied that that could not be, for the water came from him to her.

5. Disconcerted by the force of this truth, the wolf changed the accusation, saying, "Six months ago I was slandered by thee." 6. "I was not then born," replied the lamb. 7. "Then it must have been thy father or some other relation." Having said this, he seized the lamb and tore it to pieces.

Lesson 164.-p. 97.

The Ass and the Lap-Dog.

(Connection.)

1. An ass living in the same house with a favourite lapdog, saw that the dog enjoyed a greater share of affection than he. 2. Supposing that he should enjoy an equal share of the good graces of the family were he to imitate the lapdog's playful caresses, 3. he began to frisk about before his master, kicking up his heels and braying in an awkward

affectation of pleasantry. 4. This behaviour raised much laughter, which the ass mistaking for approbation, 5. he began to leap upon his master's breast, and lick his face. 6.

At this, having been well cudgelled, he was convinced that what is agreeable in one person, may be considered impertinent in another; and that the surest way to secure esteem, is for every one to act according to his own natural genius.

Lesson 165.-p. 98.

The Stag drinking. — (Analysis.)

1. A stag, when quenching his thirst in a clear lake, was struck with the beauty of his horns, which he saw reflected in the water.

2. At the same time he observed the extreme slenderness

of his legs.

3. He said that it was a pity so fine a creature should be furnished with so despicable a pair of legs, and what a truly noble animal he should have been had his legs in any degree answered to his horns.

4. In the midst of this soliloquy, he was alarmed by the cry of a pack of hounds.

5. He then flew through the forest, and left his pursuers so far behind, that he might probably have escaped, had he not taken to a thick wood, where his horns having become entangled in the branches, he was held till the hounds came up, which tore him in pieces.

6. In his last moments, he said that he had judged ill with regard to his advantages, despising those legs which could have borne him in safety, had not his favourite antlers betrayed him into ruin.

Lesson 166. p. 98.

Genius, Virtue, and Reputation.— (Connection.)

1. Genius, Virtue, and Reputation being friends, agreed to travel over Great Britain, to see what might be worthy of