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THIS most extraordinary bird, extraordinary as regards its plumage and form, which, in a great degree, resemble that of the hawk, so much so indeed that even the small birds, such as swallows and others, mistaking it for an enemy, will mob it out of their neighbourhood, but more curious on account of its habits, which are unlike those of any other bird, appears in England towards the middle or latter end of April: like the parrots and the other climbing birds, it has two toes placed forward and two behind.

Although in outward appearance the cuckoo resembles a bird of prey, yet its habits and its internal organization prove that it lives on insects only; and though, in captivity, it has been known to feed on flesh, when cooked

and chopped fine, yet it always appears to partake of it with reluctance.

The most curious part of the history of the cuckoo consists in the manner in which the female disposes of her eggs; in this she differs so extremely from every other bird, that were it not that the fact has been attested by the most credible and intelligent eye-witnesses, it would hardly be deserving of belief. The female cuckoo, in general, builds no nest of her own, but deposits her eggs, almost always singly, in the nest of some of the smaller birds, most frequently in that of the hedge-sparrow. The small bird carefully sits on the egg thus placed; and when the young is hatched, it is attended with as much care as if the offspring was her own: experiment has proved, that if the egg of any other bird is introduced into the nest, it is either thrown out and broken, or the nest is entirely deserted.

Another curious fact is, that the young of the cuckoo, as soon as it is hatched, applies itself to the task of ejecting the rightful owners of the nest; to effect this, the young cuckoo thrusts itself underneath the egg, or young bird it wishes to remove, and then carries it on its back, which is peculiarly broad and flat, to the edge of the nest, and throws it over: this is a work of considerable difficulty, and only effected after repeated trials.

So you see there are selfish birds as well as selfish boys. Now I know that some boys dont like the cuckoo for playing these tricks. Well, they must not play such tricks themselves. Let them mind that; or they will be just as bad as this ungrateful bird.

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THE BOY AND THE BUTTERFLY.

WHAT is that little boy doing? he has for a long time been chasing that pretty butterfly; often he came near it and thought he should catch it, but it always flew away again just as he was going to seize it.

Now it has settled on a tulip, and he thinks he shall it, for see! he is just going to throw his cap over it. I fear he will break the flower and perhaps kill the poor butterfly: and if he catches it he may hurt it very much with nipping and squeezing it in his warm hands-Poor little creature! If God Almighty were to permit it to speak as he did Balaam's ass I think it would say, "O you cruel boy! why do you run after me to catch and torment me? I never did you harm-I was flying about from flower to flower in the sunshine, enjoying all the good things my Heavenly Father has provided for me; O leave me alone, or God Almighty, who is my Maker as well as your's, will be angry with you, for "his tender mercies are over all his works.'

My little reader, I hope you will not be cruel to any dumb creatures, but I wish to remind you of something more- -How many young persons are eagerly pursuing the vanities and pleasures of this world, and, like the boy chasing the butterfly, they run with eagerness to seize them, and when they imagine they are just about to grasp them, they "take unto themselves wings and fly away."

O! how many young people have confessed this to be the case; and yet how eagerly do multitudes still seek

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