The flying squirrel sometimes takes a distance of 100 yards. Squirrels eat buds and young shoots in Spring, ripe fruit and the cones of the pine tree in Summer, nuts, acorns, and chesnuts in Autumn, and lay in a store for Winter use. They bury acorns in the ground.

IV.-USES, &c.

The Laplanders sometimes feed upon squirrels, and manufac ture the skins into useful articles. Many oaks spring from acorns buried by squirrels, and intended for winter use. It teaches us a lesson of industry. We should provide, while we have the op portunity, for the winter of life.

THE CAMEL.

I.-STRUCTURE, &c.

Sometimes called "the ship of the desert," About 6 feet high. Two large and hard humps upon its back.

Dromedary smaller,

with only one hump. Six cutting teeth in the lower jaw, but none in the upper. Upper lip divided like that of the hare. Hoofs small and undeciduous. The camel is of a brown or ash colour. Ruminant. The stomach consists of several compartIt contains a kind of reservoir for water. The hair of the camel falls off annually. Feet very soft. Hard lumps on the breasts and knees.

ments.

II.-LOCALITY, &c.

Found chiefly in Turkey and the countries of the Levant. The dromedary common in the deserts of Arabia, in South Africa, Persia, Tartary, and a great part of the East Indies. Neither can exist in higher latitudes. They have been tried, but without success, in Spain and America. They seem fitted for walking only upon the soft sand of the desert. The lama is sometimes called the camel of America.

III.-HABITS, &c.

Patient. Can go as long as fifteen days without drinking. They

possess great strength, some being able to carry upwards of one thousand pounds. The ordinary pace when loaded with several hundred weight is about thirty five miles a day. Very tame and tractable. They kneel to receive their burdens. A number of camels with their drivers are called a caravan. Very fleet. One is said to have travelled from Magadore to Morocco and back again in a day, thus carrying its owner a distance of 200 miles. They generally live forty or fifty years.

IV.-USES, &c.

They are used as beasts of burden. They enable the Arabs and other nations to pass through deserts, which, without their assistance, would be quite impassable. The milk of the camel forms a nourishing drink. Butter and cheese are made from it. Flesh used as food. Hair made into clothing. The camel often mentioned in Scripture. It formed part of the wealth of the patriarchs. John the Baptist wore raiment of camel's hair. Rebecca rode upon a camel when going to the house of Abraham. The Benjamites fled upon camels when a portion of their tribe was cut off.

"In silent horror o'er the boundless waste
The driver Hasam with his camels passed;
One oruse of water on his back he bore,
And his light scrip contained a scanty store:
A fan of painted feathers in his hand,
To guard his shaded face from scorching sand;
A sultry sun had gained the middle sky,
And not a tree, and not a herb was nigh;
The beasts with pain their dusty way pursue,

Shrill roared the winds and dreary was the view."

THE BEAVER.

1.-STRUCTURE, &c.

About two feet long and one foot high. Shaped like a rat. Tail large, flat, and scaly, Serves as a rudder when on the water,

and also as a trowel for fixing, and a wheelbarrow for carrying materials. Hair of a light brown colour and of two kinds; one long and coarse, and the other short, soft, and silky. Teeth larger and stronger than those of the squirrel. Suited to cutting timber. Rodentia. Hind feet webbed and turned in. Used for keeping the fur in order. Head short. Ears round and small. Quadruped. Amphibious.

II.-LOCALITY, &c.

Common in Canada and Languedoc. Upon the banks of the Mississippi and Ohio. Among the swamps between the Rocky Mountains and the Alleghanies. Have been brought to England.

III.-HABITS, &c.

They live together in companies of about 200, in houses of their own construction. Timid and defenceless. They assemble in June and July. The beaver village by the side af some lake or river. They construct a dam or pier, sometimes 100 feet long, and 10 or 12 feet in thickness at the base. Cut down trees to assist in keeping up the embankment. The side towards the course of the stream, slopes gradually. Other side perpendicular. · The materials are wood and clay. They drive in piles and fill up the insterstices. Carry their materials by water; the wood in their mouths, and the clay upon their tails. The houses are either round or oval, and are divided into three stories. Walls two feet thick. Eight or ten live in one house. Works finished by September. Their food consists of the branches of the plane, birch, and some other trees, which they steep in water. Beavers caught by being surprised when at a distance from their dwellings. In nets placed near their houses, and in traps.

IV.-USES, &c.

Hunted for the sake of their skins, which are made into articles of clothing. Sixty thousand beaver skins sold by the Hudson Bay Company in 1830. We learn from their labours the advantages to be derived from mutual assistance.

THE VEGETABLE KINGDOM.

Arranged under four heads:

I.-Structure and qualities.

II.-Locality and history, with the date of introduction.
III.-How propagated and prepared for use.

IV. Uses and lessons.

COFFEE PLANT.

I. STRUCTURE, &c.

Produced by an evergreen shrub which sometimes grows to the height of 40 or 50 feet. General height from 8 to 10 feet. Leaves broad and several inches in length. The fruit resembles the cherry in shape and colour. Two coffee beans inside. Bunches of white flowers which yield a sweet perfume.

II.--LOCALITY, &c.

First produced in Abyssinia; taken from thence to Yemen in Arabia in the sixth century. Sold in London in 1652. Afterwards planted in Jamaica. Our chief supply from Mocha in Arabia, Java, East and West Indies. Grown on the slopes of hills.

III.-HOW PROPAGATED, &c. Requires considerable moisture and coolness. Other trees planted near to shade the coffee shrub. in a year. May, the harvest month. Fruit shaken from the tree upon cloths.

Yields two or more crops
First gathering the best.

Dried in the sun. Husk

separated from the bean by heavy rollers of wood or stone. Ma chinery used for this purpose in the West Indies. Coffee roasted and ground before it is fit for use.

IV.-USES.

The Arabs made from it a drink which was used when wine was prohibited by the Koran. The Abyssinians roasted and pounded

the bean and then ate it with butter. The bean the only part which is of much use. Ground and then boiled in water. Coffee used in most countries of the world. It furnishes a wholesome and refreshing beverage at a low price. Its advantages over other drinks.

THE OAK.

1.-STRUCTURE, &c.

Noble in appearance, hence called the "king of the forest." Of various heights and sizes. One has been known 58 feet in eircumference. Throws out large spreading branches. The wood hard, strong, and tough. Alike durable in the earth and in water. Few insects will eat into it. Tree, exogenous. In its prime and ready for falling when between 50 and 70 years old. Wood beautifully grained. Takes a fine polish. Clothed with beautiful verdure in Summer. Strong bark. Fruit called an acorn.

II.-LOCALITY, &c.

It is a native production of Britain.

"With thunders from her native oak,
She quells the floods below,

As they roar on the shore,

When the stormy tempests blow."

Common in Great Britain and the South Western countries of Europe. Many large forests in England, such as the New Forest. Region of the oak between the Isothermal lines of 41 and 50 degrees of latitude. Among the groves of oak the Druids had their temples. The Britons worshipped the misletoe which grew on the oak. Evelyn, the painter, counted in sections of oaks from the New Forest between 300 and 400 concentric rings, each recording a year's growth. Damory's oak in Dorsetshire was 68 feet in circumference, and the cavity in it (16 feet long and 20 high) was, in the time of the Commonwealth, used as an ale-house. Oak in New Forest against which the arrow of Sir Walter Tyrrel