are able to fly, following their parents as well as they can, by jumping from branch to branch. When they are fully fledged the mother-bird leaves them to the care of her mate, and begins to construct a new nest for her second brood.

The full-grown nightingale is a bird of elegant proportions, but of unattractive plumage. It is about five inches long, two and a half of which belong to the tail. The bill is more than half an inch long, slender, of a dull brown colour, with a yellowish tinge at the base of the lower mandible. The upper parts of the body are yellowish brown, the wings and tail dusky, with a reddish tinge at the margin of the feathers. The sides of the neck and flanks are pale ashen grey, passing into white on the throat and the middle of the belly. None of the colours are by any means decided, and there is nothing striking in the appearance of the bird. The female differs little from the male, but the head is rounder, the eyes are rather smaller, and the throat is not so white. Bechstein notices a striking resemblance between the female redstart and the nightingale, but says of the latter, "His step and attitude are prouder, and his actions more deliberate. When he walks, it is by measured regular hops. After a certain number he stops, looks at himself, shakes his wings, raises his tail gracefully, spreads it a little, stoops his head several times, raises his tail several times, and proceeds. If any object attracts his attention, he bends his head towards it, and generally looks at it with only one eye. It is true that he jumps hastily upon the insects which constitute his food, but he does not seize them as eagerly as other birds; on the contrary, he stops short, and seems to deliberate whether it is prudent to eat them or not. Generally he has a serious circumspect air, but his foresight is not proportioned to it, for he falls readily into all the snares which are laid for him. If, however, he once escapes, he is not so easily caught again, and becomes as cunning as any other birds."-Chronicles of the Seasons.

THE SUGAR CANE.

SUGAR is one of the most valuable vegetable substances with which civilized beings have become acquainted-so

varied and extensive are its uses, and so greatly does it minister to the social gratifications of mankind.

The sugar cane must be considered as a native of China, since its cultivation was prosecuted in that empire for two thousand years before sugar was even known in Europe, and for a very long period before other eastern nations became acquainted with its use. For some time after this substance, in its crystalline form, had found its way to the westward, through India and Arabia, a singular degree of ignorance prevailed in regard to its nature and the mode of its production; and there is reason for believing that the Chinese, who have always evinced an unconquerable repugnance to foreign intercourse, purposely threw a veil of mystery over the subject.

A knowledge of the origin of cane sugar was correctly revealed in the middle of the thirteenth century, by the celebrated traveller, Marco Polo; though it was partially known much earlier. The plant was soon conveyed to Arabia, Nubia, Egypt, and Ethiopia, where it became extensively cultivated. Early in the fifteenth century the sugar cane first appeared in Europe. Sicily took the lead in its cultivation; thence it passed to Spain, Madeira, and the Canary Islands; and shortly after the discovery of the new world, by Columbus, this plant was conveyed to Hayti and Brazil, from which latter country it gradually spread to the islands of the West Indies.

The canes have knotty stalks, and at each joint or knot a leaf is produced. The number of joints varies in different specimens, some having as many as eighty, and others not half that number. The sugar cane varies exceedingly in its growth, depending upon the nature of the soil. In new and moist land it sometimes attains the height of twenty feet. It is always propagated from cuttings. The planting of canes does not require to be renewed annually.

The hoeing of a cane-field is a most laborious operation when performed, as it must be, under the rays of a tropical sun. Formerly this task was always effected by hand labour, but of late years, where the nature of the ground will admit of the employment of a plough, that instrument has been substituted, to the mutual advantage of the planter and his labourers.

When the canes are fully ripe, they are cut close to the ground, and being then divided into convenient lengths, are tied up in bundles, and conveyed to the mill. The canes, on being passed twice between the cylinders of this mill, have all their juice expressed. This is collected in a cistern, and must be immediately placed under process by heat, to prevent its becoming acid. A certain quantity of lime in powder is added at this time, to promote the separation of the grosser matters contained in the juice; and these being, as far as possible, removed at a heat just sufficient to cause the impurities to collect on the surface, the cane liquor is then subjected to a very rapid boiling, in order to evaporate the watery particles, and bring the syrup to such a consistency, that it will granulate on cooling. Upon an average, every five gallons, imperial measure, of cane juice, will yield six pounds of chrystallized sugar, and will be obtained from about one hundred and ten well grown canes.

When the sugar is sufficiently cooled in shallow trays, it is put into the hogsheads, wherein it is shipped to Europe. These casks have their bottoms pierced with holes, and are placed upright over a large cistern, into which the molasses-which is the portion of saccharine matter that will not chrystallize-drains away, leaving the raw sugar in the state we see it in our grocers' shops. The casks are then filled up, headed down, and shipped.

The molasses which have drained from the sugar, together with all the scummings of the coppers, are collected, and, being first fermented, are distilled for the production of rum.-Vegetable Substances.

THE STORK.

THOUGH much has been erroneously said respecting the character and habits of this bird, as a pattern and an emblem of filial and conjugal affection and care, it does appear to possess, upon the testimony of credible witnesses, many engaging qualities of this order. The name by which it was known among the Jews, and mentioned in the Scriptures, signifies pity and benevolence; doubtless from traits of that kind unfolding themselves in

its habits and history. Parkhurst has recorded a description of the stork, as to these features of its character, which is not a little interesting. He tells us, that the parent birds mutually guard their brood; one always remaining with it, while the other goes for food. They keep the young ones much longer in the nest than any other bird; and, after they have led them out of it by day, they bring them back at night, preserving the nest as their natural home. Like the parent eagles, when the storks first take out their young, they practise them in fly. ing; they lead them to the marshes, also, to point out to their offspring, frogs, serpents, and lizards, which are their proper food, making them distinguish the toads, which they never eat. In return for all this parental care and kindness, the young ones, as they grow strong, and their parents become old and debilitated, display their filial kindness in feeding and supporting the parent birds. In the long flights which they take in their periodical migrations, it is not uncommon to see the aged and weakly birds supported on the backs of the stronger; and, on their arrival at the place of their destination, these invalids are taken to the old nests, where they are fed and cherished by those young ones that were nurtured there the year before. These facts are stated on so respectable authority, that we have no hesitation in giving them insertion here.

The white stork is semi-domestic, frequenting towns and cities, where it stalks unconcernedly about the streets, from which it removes all the noxious filth and offal that it is able to feed upon, whilst it clears from the fields the serpents and other reptiles that it may find there. From these services, which are rendered to the community by the storks, they are religiously protected in Holland, where they are found in great numbers, and very tame. The Mahometans hold them in great veneration, and the Thessalonians anciently awarded the punishment of death to any one who killed one of these birds. The Ibis that was long worshipped in Egypt appears to be a variety of the stork. Innumerable representations of this bird are found in all the hieroglyphics and other ancient monuments of that country. An awfully blind and degrading superstition thus paid divine homage to the dumb creature, for the service that it rendered in assisting to clear away

the putrescent bodies that came in its way. From the mildness of the disposition of these birds, they are easily tamed, and are frequently turned, in that state, into gardens, which they effectually clear of insects and reptiles. They have an air of great gravity, with a mournful visage; yet they have been known to join in the sports of children with considerable eclât, and with evident gratification.

Dr. Hermann tells us, that he saw a tame one in a garden, in which some children were playing at "hide and seek," running its turn with the children, when it was touched, and distinguishing the child whose turn it was to pursue the rest, so as effectually to be on its guard. And, to show that they partake of the fallen, as well as of the benevolent and pleasing traits of human nature, an anecdote is current in Hamburgh, of a farmer, in the vicinity of that city, who brought a wild stork into his farm-yard, to be the companion of a tame one that he had long kept there. But the tame stork, so much for civilization, disdained to be associated with such a wild and untutored stork, and, therefore, fell upon the poor stranger, and beat him so unmercifully, that with difficulty he escaped by flight. Supposing there were no higher consideration to guide our conduct, it is the wisest policy to act with uniform kindness to all, since we know not what may befal us, and who may have it in their power to serve us or to injure us. It would have been well for the tame stork if it had understood that maxim; for about four months after the wild stork had been so rudely treated by the civilized one, it made its appearance again in the farmyard, with three stout companions, when all four fell upon the tame stork, and killed him.

The storks are remarkable for the exactness they observe in the time of their autumnal departure from Europe to milder climates. They are reported to assemble on a particular day, after which not one is left behind. Whilst in this quarter of the globe, they are seldom seen further north than Sweden. In this country they are quite rare aves; but in Holland, they are so common, that they build on the tops of the houses, where the inhabitants provide boxes for them, in which to place their nests. The Dutch are very careful of those that dwell upon their roof, as much so as of those who