ing animal's back; and, as this is always done in the beginning of summer, the sheep suffers no inconvenience, or rather indeed acquires much comfort, from pulling off its heavy great-coat.

The first operation, which the clipped fleece undergoes, is that of picking and sorting, in order t< separate the wool into its different kinds. These are next cleansed from their greasiness. The wool, after this, is put into the hands of the wool-comber, who, by means of iron-spiked combs of different fineness, draws out the fibres, smooths and straightens them, and separates the refuse. It is then delivered over to the spinner, who makes it into threads, which are more or less twisted according to the purpose for which they are intended; when much twisted, the thread is called worsted; when more loosely, it is called woollen yarn. The thread is then given to the weaver, who converts it into a web of some description or another. The manufacture of stockings, is often, as you know, extremely simple, and performed by women with wires; and in Scotland the same operation is often performed by our shepherds in the fields. In a large way, stockings are wrought in frames. Woollen cloths are made of every strength and thickness, for coats, blankets, shawls, carpets, &c. They can be dyed of every colour, and this they permanently retain. Before, however, they can be given to the dyer, they must first pass through the hands of the fuller. The object of fulling is to free the

cloth from all remains of foulness; and it has also the farther effect of thickening it, and rendering it more firm and compact. This operation is performed by beating the cloth with mallets in water, mixed with a quantity of clayey earth; the best earth for this purpose is that which, from this cir cumstance, receives the name of fuller's earth. When dyed, broad cloth forms one of the most perfect and most beautiful articles of dress, that it is possible to conceive.

QUESTIONS.

Of what are coats commonly made? What sort of people use both skin and wool for that purpose? What do you mean by savages? What is done in civilized countries? At what time does this take place? At what season are sheep shorn? What is the first thing done to the fleece? Who next gets the wool? What does he do to it? What is the next operation it undergoes? What do you call wool much twisted? And what when more loosely twisted? What does the weaver do with the yarn? How are stockings sometimes made? How are they made on a large scale? Who receives the woollen cloths before they are sent to the dyer? What does the fuller do to them? How is this done? What colour may woollen cloths be dyed?

THE BALL.

My good little fellow, don't throw your ball there, For you'll break neighbour's windows, I know; On the end of the house there is room, and to spare, Go round, you can have a delightful game there, Without fearing for where you may throw.

Harry thought he might safely continue his play,
With a little more care than before;

So, heedless of all that his father could say,
As soon as he saw he was out of the way,
Resolved to have fifty throws more.

Already as far as to forty he rose,

And no mischief had happen'd at all;

One more, and one more, he successfully throws, But when, as he thought, just arrived at the close, In popped his unfortunate ball.

Poor Harry stood frightened, and turning about, Was gazing at what he had done;

As the ball had popped in, so neighbour popped out, And with a good horse-whip he beat him about, Till Harry repented his fun.

When little folks think they know better than great,
And what is forbidden them, do;

We must always expect to see, early or late,
That such wise little fools have a similar fate,
And that one of the fifty goes through.

THE MOCKING BIRD.

The mimic thrush, or mocking bird, is about the size of a blackbird, but somewhat more slender : the plumage is grey, but paler on the under parts than above.

It is common throughout America and Jamaica, but changes its place in the summer, being then seen much more to the northward than in winter. It cannot vie with the feathered inhabitants of those countries in brilliancy of plumage; but is content with much more rare and estimable qualities. It possesses not only natural notes of its own, which are truly musical and solemn; but it can, at pleasure, assume the tone of every other animal in the forest, from the humming bird to the eagle, descending even to the wolf, or the ra'ven. One of them, confined in a cage, has been heard to mimic the chattering of a magpie, and the creaking of the hinges of a sign-post in high winds.

This capricious little mimic seems to have a singular pleasure in archly leading other birds astray. He is said at one time to allure the smaller birds with the call of their mates; and, when they come near, to terrify them with the scream of an eagle. There is scarcely a bird of the forest, that is not at some time deceived by his call.

He is the only one of the American singing birds that can be compared with those of Europe; and, were it not for the attention he pays to every sort of disagreeable noise, which tends to debase his best notes, there can be little doubt that he would be fully equal to the song of the nightingale, in its whole compass. He fre-quents' the dwellings of the American Farmers; where, sitting on the

roof or chimney, he sometimes pours forth the most sweet and animated strains imaginable. The Mexi cans, on account of his various notes, and his imita tive powers, call him "The bird of four hundred tongues." In the warmer parts of America, he sings incessantly, day and night, from the month of March till August; beginning with his own compositions, and frequently finishing by adopting those of the whole feathered choir (quire). He repeats his tunes with such artful sweetness, as to excite both pleasure and surprise.

It is not, however, in the powers of voice alone that these birds are pleasing; they may even be said to dance. When excited to a kind of ecstacy by their own music, they gradually raise themselves from the place where they stand, and, with their wings extended, drop, with their head down, to the same spot, and whirl round, accompanying their melody with a variety of pleasing gesticulations.

QUESTIONS.

About what size is the mocking bird? its plumage? Where is it to be found? in the same place? With what can it not of plumage? With what is it content?

Of what colour is Does it live always vie in brilliancy What are its musi

cal powers? What has one of them confined in a cage been known to do? What is it said to do to other birds?

Whose

dwellings does he frequent? What do the Mexicans call it? Can these birds do any thing but sing?

THE BEAR.

The common bear is a heavy looking qua'dru-ped,