lined with feathers, and had a round hole in the middle for an entrance. There were ten eggs in it, which were nearly white, with a few red spots at the large end. This bird had young ones in April; and after these fled away, at the end of June she had

some more.

And,

You give a pretty good account of your wren, Edward. I am glad you do, what very many of our race never do,-you make use of your eyes. unless we use them to advantage, we might as well have been born blind.

But see, yonder on that lawn, there is a more singular bird than the golden-crested wren. Ì have seen stuffed specimens of it in collections, repeatedly, but never saw one alive before; it is called the Jynx, or Wryneck. There is but one species, which is called the Torquilla. Its tongue is very long, and terminates in a hard point. Its colours are varied and beautiful. I am glad you have an opportunity of seeing it.

Pray, Papa, don't disturb him; I should like to

examine him more closely; I'll try and get nearer to him. Ah! he won't stay; he is gone over the hedge in an instant.

It is a bird of Passage, and generally visits us a little before the cuckoo. It squeaks, but has no song. Like the jay, it can erect the feathers on its head. It makes its nest of dry grass in the hollow of trees. It feeds on ants, and was, no doubt, searching for them when we saw him. The young ones, Mr. Pennant informs us, whilst in the nest hiss like a snake. It has

its name from a singular habit of twisting its neck, and bringing its head over its shoulders. A friend of mine has one in his museum; I will call on him, with you, and he will readily show it you.-But how pretty that blackthorn appears; it seems in full blosBreak a branch off it, Edward.

som.

Here it is, but it is not so beautiful as the whitethorn. Is it not wonderful that the flowers should venture abroad whilst these cold north winds are blowing?

It appears, like all other things, at its appointed time; and comes in its season. In the botanical arrangement it is termed prunus spinoza. Perhaps you can tell me to what class and order it belongs?

Here are many stamens, and they stand on the cup, or calix. It must belong, then, to the class Icosandria ; and as there is one pointal, it must belong to the first order, or monogynia. It produces sloes, which I much like towards the end of the year, when the frost has been on them.

Your account, Edward, is correct. It is very useful

for a fence, since it grows quick and close, and is full of sharp thorns. But what is that other twig you have in your hand?

It is a small branch I broke off the elm hedge over which the wryneck flew. And see, Papa, there are some pretty little red flowers on it; but how tiny they are.

They are the blossoms of the elm, or of the ulmus campestris.

I didn't know that the elm had any blossoms.

Very likely not; few persons know it; since the flowers, as you say, are so tiny, though very pretty, if seen through a glass. They come out before the full leaf, and soon pass away. But tell me its place

in the Linnean system.

Here are five stamens; it must, therefore, be in the fifth class, or Pentandria; here are two pointals; it must belong to digynia, or the second order.

You are right, Edward. It is generally propagated by layers and shoots, rather than by seeds; though these are very numerous. It has been calculated,

that from one seed a tree springs which in the course of its existence produces one thousand five hundred and eighty-four millions of seed. What an increase! what a being is God, who has formed, and who every moment preserves the animal and the vegetable worlds!

• The elm, in a suitable soil, grows to an immense size; one is mentioned in Evelyn's Sylva, that grew in the park of Sir W. Bagot, in Staffordshire, which was seventeen feet diameter at its base; and, when felled, extended one hundred and twenty feet. It contained timber to the amount of ninety-seven tons.

How wonderful, Papa! See how the ivy runs up this large elm.* Does it not belong to the same class and order as the elm ?

That which

It does. There are several kinds. runs up the side of our stable, is the Virginian creeper; it is a native of North America, and was brought to us

* Botanists call it helix, the plant winding about.