the middle of his forehead. The bill is black, straight, slender, and of the length of a small pin. It is inconceivable how much these birds add to the high finishing and beauty of a rich luxurious western landscape. As soon as the sun is risen, the humming-birds, of different kinds, are seen fluttering about the flowers, without ever lighting upon them. Their wings are in so rapid motion, that it is impossible to discern their colours, except by their glitterisg. They are never still, but in continual motion, visiting flower after flower, and extracting its honey as if with a kiss. For this purpose they are furnished with a forky tongue, that enters the cup of the flower, and extracts its sweets. Upon this alone they subsist. The rapid motion of their wings occasions a humming sound, from whence they have their name; for whatever divides the air swiftly, must produce a murmur. The nests of these birds are also very curious. They are suspended in the air, at the point of the twigs of an orange, a pomegranate, or a citron tree; sometimes even in houses, if a small and convenient twig is found for the purpose. The female is the architect, while the male goes in quest of materials; such as cotton, fine moss, and the fibres of vegetables. Of these materials, a nest is composed, about half the size of a hen's egg; it " is admirably contrived, and warmly lined with cotton. There are never more than two eggs found in the nest; these are about the size of small peas, and as white as snow, with here and there a yellow speck. The male and the female sit upon the nest by turns; but the female takes to herself the greatest share. She seldom quits the nest, except a few minutes in the morning and evening, when the dew is upon the flowers, and their honey in perfection. During the short interval, the male takes her place. The time of hatching continues twelve days; at the end of which the young ones appear, much about the size of a blue-bottle fly. They are at first bare; by degrees, they are covered with down; and, at last, feathers succeed, but less beautiful at first than those of the old ones. Father Labat, in his account of the mission to America, says, "that his companion found the nest of a humming-bird, in a shed near the dwelling-house: and took it in, at a time when the young ones were about fifteen or twenty days old. He placed them in a cage at his chamber window, to be amused by their sportive flutterings: but he was much surprised to see the old ones, which came and fed their brood regularly every hour in the day. By this means they themselves grew s tame, that they seldom quitted the chamber; and, without any constraint came to live with their young ones. All four frequently perched upon their master's hand, chirping as if they had been at liberty abroad. He fed them " with a very fine clear paste, made of wine, biscuit, and sugar. They thrust their tongues into this paste, till they were satisfied, and then fluttered and chirped about the room. I never beheld any thing more agreeable," continues he, "than this lovely little family, which had possession of my companion's chamber, and flew in and out just as they thought proper; but were ever attentive to the voice of their master, when he called them. In this manner they lived with him above six months; but at a time when he expected to see a new colony formed, he unfortunately forgot to tie up their cage to the ceiling at night, to preserve them from the rats, and he found in the morning, to his great mortification, that they were all devoured." -000 Mortality. CHILD of mortality, whence comest thou? why is thy countenance sad, and why are thy eyes red with weeping?—I have seen the rose in its beauty; it spread its leaves to the morning sun. I returned: it was dying upon its stalk; the grace of the form of it was gone: its loveliness was vanished away: its leaves were scattered on the ground, and no one gathered them again. A stately tree grew on the plain; its branches were covered with verdure; its boughs spread wide, and made a goodly shadow: the trunk was like a strong pillar; the roots were like crooked fangs. I returned: the verdure was nipt by the axe; the worm had made its way into the trunk, and the heart thereof was decayed it mouldered away, and fell to the ground. : I have seen the insects sporting in the sunshine, and darting along the streams; their wings glittered with gold and purple; their bodies shone like the green emerald; they were more numerous than I could count: their motions were quicker than my eye could glance. I returned they were brushed into the pool; they were perishing with the evening breeze; the swallow had devoured them: the pike had seized them; there were none found of so great a multitude. ; I have seen man in the pride of his strength; his cheeks glowed with beauty; his limbs were full of activity; he leaped; he walked he ran; he rejoiced in that he was more excellent than those. I returned he lay stiff and cold on the bare ground; his feet could no longer move, nor his hands stretch themselves out; his life was departed from him; and the breath out of his nostrils. Therefore : do I weep because DEATH is in the world; the spoiler is among the works of God; all that is made must be destroyed; all that is born must die; let me alone, for I will weep yet longer. -000 Immortality. I HAVE seen the flower withering on the stalk, and its bright leaves spread on the ground. I looked again;-It sprung forth afresh; its stem was crowned with new buds, and its sweetness filled the air. I have seen the sun in the west, and the shades of night shut in the wide horizon: there was no colour, nor shape, nor beauty, nor music; gloom and darkness brooded around.-I looked: the sun broke forth again upon the east, and gilded the mountain tops; the lark rose to meet him from her low nest, and the shades of dark ness fled away. I have seen the insect, being come to its full size, languish, and refuse to eat it spun itself a tomb, and was shrouded in the silken cone it lay without feet, or shape, or power to move. I looked again; it had burst its tomb; it was full of life, and sailed on coloured wings through the soft air; it rejoiced in its new being. Thus shall it be with thee, O man! and so shall thy life be renewed. Beauty shall spring |