bank. Some rocks, however, caught it, so that it was not swept away. A smaller tree was now fastened to it, and to some rocks that were above the water. So, though a patchwork bridge, it was really quite a respectable affair. In crossing over it, however, our friend lost his balance, and fell into the stream. This was so rapid, that it would soon have swept him away, but, fortunately, he caught hold of the tree just in time, and was safely dragged out.

We should have no room for anything else if we were to describe the various bridges. Bridges of ropes, cane, and boats; bridges of wood, stone, and iron; bridges suspended and bridges fixed; and in number quite astonishing-one road in the Alps, for instance, having no fewer than six hundred and eleven! The oldest bridge in this country is at Croyland, in Lincolnshire; it has stood for about a thousand years! Then there are, of modern bridges, those wonderful ones over the Menai Straits, the suspension and tubular bridges, cach as marvellous perhaps as the other. must we forget the bridges over the Thames at London-especially the beautiful Waterloo bridge, with its fine level road. It is built of granite, and cost more than a million of money.

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The drollest bridge we ever heard of was a suspension bridge in Mexico-a living one. Do you see the hundreds of ring-tailed monkeys yonder, chattering away as they march towards the stream? They mean to cross, but they can't jump it, and a

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monkey would rather go into fire than water. still in the grass, and we shall see all about it. Here they are, just opposite, an old greyhead leading them, and others commanding under him. See how they examine the trees on the bank! Ah! now two or three dozen are scampering up that tall cotton tree, overhanging the narrowest part of the stream. How high they go! And now a big fellow runs out to the end of a branch, whips his tail round it, and swings off head downwards. Look, the one behind seems to be climbing down the body of the first, and twisting his tail round his neck and arm! That's just it, and then he swings off, and another and another do the same, till there's a long string of them hanging from the tree, the hands of the last resting on the ground. Now they begin to swing, backwards and forwards, like a pendulum. Away they go, stretching further and further, till the one at the end-he whose hands rested on the ground-clutches the branch of a tree on the opposite bank. Bravo! the chain is complete, and the bridge ready for use. Away scamper the troop, four or five hundred, up the cotton tree, and along the bridge, till they are safely over. But how is the bridge itself to cross? Why, number one who first swung from the tree, must let go his tail. But don't you see that the branch on this side is much lower than the branch of the cotton tree? If number one lets go, he and half a dozen more will be dashed on the bank, or soused in the river. The monkeys see all this, if you

don't; for look! a strong fellow is twisting his tail round the last on this side, another fastens to him, another, another-a dozen have been added to the bridge. Ah! now I see what they are doing. These last run up to a much higher branch, and lift the lower end of the bridge till it is almost level with the other side. No doubt that scream from the highest was a signal, for number one now lets go his tail, and in a moment the bridge is safely swung over. A minute more, and it has disappeared piecemeal in the forest.

Man is a very clever animal, but as he has no tail he could not make such a bridge as this!

Name the different ways by which a river can be crossed. Which is the simplest form of bridge? Relate an adventure that an African traveller met with in connexion with this. Describe the different kinds of floats. Name the different kinds of bridges. Tell what you know of crocodiles and alligators. What bridges are great works of engineering skill? What makes these bridges superior to the ordinary stone ones? Describe as fully as you can the way in which a troop of monkeys cross a river.

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1forded, waded through. crocodiles and alligators, terrible reptiles inhabiting large rivers. (see app.), 3 contrivances, plans; ways; means. float, anything which can float or rest on the surface of water. gourds, the fruit of a plant which grows in warm climates. (see app.) bridge, a structure for carrying a road over a river or any deep place. primitive, first kind; simple. suspension bridges; in these bridges the roadway is suspended or hung from chains passing over piers or towers, and firmly fixed at both ends. 9tubular bridges. Robert Stephenson, a great engineer, found that by the use of iron tubes, bridges could be made with clear spans of four hundred feet, and of sufficient strength to bear heavy traffic. Suspension and tubular bridges are very valuable, because they do not interfere with the navigation.

MOST boys and girls who live in the country have seen wild pigeons, and know what graceful birds they are. The 'muscles of their wings are very large and strong, and some 'naturalists affirm that they can fly at the rate of a mile in a minute. They abound in countless numbers in North America. A gentleman who saw a flock of them in early spring gives the following account :

"One May morning I was startled from my sleep by a voice crying, 'The pigeons! the pigeons!' and a strange sound like the rushing of a strong wind came to my ears. The air was full of flying birds, and for hours I watched the immense flock pass over the little prairie village.

"The birds flew very low, and hundreds of them alighted on the trees in passing. They often alight in such numbers that great branches are broken off, and sometimes the pigeons are crushed to death. The procession seemed endless; for the day wore on and still the swift-winged birds rustled through the air, and still the coming flocks looked like delicate 5pencillings on the distant sky. It was a rare day for sportsmen. Instead of roosting in a neighbouring forest as we had hoped, the pigeons flew to one at some distance. But every day through the summer, stray flocks 'foraged among the oak groves about us, and their shadows swept over sunny

slopes and fields of waving grain, like flitting clouds.

"The part of the forest that the pigeons selected in which to rear their young was three or four miles wide, and ten miles long. Their nests were in every tree; sometimes more than fifty nests could be seen in one tree. In each of these frail nests, carelessly woven of a few twigs, two white shining eggs were laid. It is said that the father and mother birds take care of these eggs in turn.

"When the young pigeons or squabs are almost ready to fly, comes the exciting time known as robbing the roost. Men arm themselves with long poles, with which they upset the nests; the poor squabs fall to the ground, and are easily caught. They can then be kept in cages, fattened, and killed as they are wanted.

"The passenger pigeon does not migrate from one part of the country to another to find a warmer climate, but only in search of food. So many of these birds are killed every year for the "New York and other markets, that it seems as if they must gradually disappear. But they multiply very fast, and a naturalist well acquainted with them, thinks nothing but the destruction of the forests could lessen their number.”

Where do passenger pigeons abound? For what are they remarkable? What did the writer hear and see one May morning? What during the summer? How much of the forest did the pigeons occupy? Describe their nests-also "robbing the roost." What is done with the young pigeons? What do naturalists say respecting pigeons?