the bird in rising and descending in the air, whilst it keeps the body and wings in a steady position. The legs and feet are equally appropriate to their different motions; in some birds the claws are large, and provided with membranes which extend and contract, to enable them to swim; in others the claws are sharp, and crooked at the points, that they may tread more firmly, perch, seize, and hold their prey; in some the legs are long, that they may walk into water; and rake up their food from wet and marshy places.

In all this we must see and acknowledge the supreme intelligence of our Creator and merciful Benefactor. Is it possible that things so wonderful, regular, and admirably proportioned, can be the effect of chance? Or can any one be so weak as to imagine it was without design that all this series of vessels, of muscles, of joints, &c. &c. in each animal were put in motion; and that every part, even the most minute, should bear so strict a relation to others, and all fulfil their different functions with such perfect harmony and regularity? It ought rather to excite in our minds the idea of some great First Cause of all, which is the Creator of the heavens and the earth; whose wisdom and goodness has formed all these creatures, and given them that structure which is best adapted to their nature and situation. Let the presence of these objects then lead us to glorify and adore the Almighty; let us seek for that living wisdom which will teach us more and more of his ways, that we may become better, and more intimately acquainted with the Being who has so gloriously manifested himself throughout the Creation.

JUNE XVI.

Dew.

THE wise Governor of nature who continually watches over his children, and provides for all their wants, makes use of various means to render the earth fertile. Sometimes he effects this by inundations which, though they may lay

waste the fields, and excite the murmurs of those shortsighted men who only consider present evils, produce in the end the most beneficial consequences to the country in general. Sometimes they proceed from a vast river, which, like the Nile, at stated periods issues from his bed, to water a country and refresh the parched fields, where showers never fall; and at other times they are caused by heavy rains, which descend more or less frequently to cool the air, to moderate the heats of summer, and to irrigate the dry earth, But these means are neither sufficiently constant nor abundant; the most usual, certain, and universal, but that which perhaps is the least valued and regarded, is the dew. This blessed gift of heaven, which, even in years of the greatest drought preserves and, supports vegetation, consists in those pure and brilliant drops that every morning and evening are seen collected in considerable quantities upon the leaves of trees and plants.

Dew does not descend from above, from regions more elevated than our atmosphere, as was formerly imagined; neither is it an exhalation from the heavenly bodies, as some have supposed. This pretended celestial origin occasioned that absurd notion of alchymists, which induced them to expect the formation of gold from the drops of dew. At present it is generally understood that dew is nothing more than a vapour, which during the warmth of day, exhales from the earth and vegetable productions, and, condensed by the coldness of the night, falls in drops. To be convinced of this, we have merely to cover a plant with a bell-glass, and we shall observe a greater quantity of moisture collected upon its leaves than upon those which are exposed to the open air. This certainly could not happen if the dew descended from above, or if it did not arise from the earth. Nothing is more easy than to account for its formation; for no one can be ignorant that the rays of the sun, and the heat diffused over the surface of the earth, continually cause to exhale from different bodies, a multitude of subtile particles, some of which ascend into the atmosphere, and others col

lect in form of aqueous drops. This explanation of dew accounts for its being sometimes prejudicial, and at others not so; its nature considerably depends upon the properties of the vapours of which it is composed. The wind carries off the very subtile exhalations as soon as they are extracted, and thus prevents their forming in drops; hence it happens that the dew is most abundant when the air is calm.

By this wise provision of nature, plants are enabled to grow and increase in countries where it never rains; for the soil in those countries being sandy, porous, and very moist beneath, by means of heat, a copious supply of dew is effected, which surrounds the plants, and affords them nutriment. These different means which Divine Providence uses to moisten and fertilize the earth should recall to our minds those which he uses to ameliorate the hearts of men, and render them productive of good works. Chastisements more or less severe, blessings of every kind, exhortations and warnings, by the mouths of his prophets and ministers, with the examples of our fellow-creatures, and a thousand other means, are employed by a gracious God to draw us into his holy communion, to sanctify us, and render us capable of bringing forth the fruits of piety and of virtue. Sometimes a storm gathers, the sluices of heaven are opened, the rivers burst their banks, and the country far around, is desolated with the wide sweeping inundation; at other times, God calls forth from the earth the sweet dew, and thus listens in secret to the prayers which the husbandman had uttered for rain. So also he operates in different ways for the salvation

of man.

To some hardened hearts he speaks in thunder and lightning as formerly from the top of Sinai; others he calls unto him, in a voice milder than the evening zephyr, and sweeter than the breath of morning: he awakens their slumbering faculties, and fresheneth their souls with the beneficent dew of his grace.

Let this gracious mercy of God raise in us ardent desires to imitate his heavenly goodness; let us use all our exertions to reclaim the wicked from their evil ways, and di

rect the steps of those who have strayed, into the true path. But let us ever remember the merciful kindness of God, and after his example endeavour to recall the mistaken, deluded children of iniquity, by mild persuasion and brotherly entreaties. We see how he refreshes the parched earth by his dew, and gives new life to vegetation. Let us then think upon the number of our fellow-creatures bowed down by affliction, and languishing for want of assistance; and let not their sighs pierce our ears in vain, neither let us turn away from their complaints, nor refuse the tear of sympathy to their misery when we are unable to relieve all their necessities. Let us by our kindness diffuse the cheering rays of consolation into the hearts of those that mourn, and pour blessings upon our fellow-creatures, abundant as the morning dew.

JUNE XVII.

Mode of Life and Labours of the Bees.

IN these gay and joyful days of summer, every thing in the animal kingdom is in motion, all is full of life and activity, but no creatures are so active for our advantage as the little republic of bees. Of all the insects with which we are acquainted, none are more worthy of our observation, or present us with a more agreeable or profitable spectacle.

Bees generally dwell in great numbers in hollow trees and cavities, or in a kind of basket called a hive, which men have formed to collect them together. They fly abroad, and disperse themselves over the country, and by means of their trunks or probosces extract honey and wax from the juices and stamina of flowers. This they bring to their dwelling, which they fill with hexagonal cells, in some of which they reside; others are destined to receive the eggs and hold their young, and others form the magazines where they deposit the honey which is to support them during the winter.

Amongst all these bees, which together form one large

family, there is one greater than the rest, of the female sex, and on that account called the queen. To her alone all the young of one hive owe their existence; from the eggs which she has deposited in the cells little grubs are produced, which the working bees feed for some time with their trunks. These grubs remain in their cells, which are closed with a covering of wax, for fifteen days, in a state of perfect repose; in this quiescent form they are called nymphæ. When the proper time is arrived, they open their cells, and come forth in the shape of young bees. Besides the queen, there are two other species of bees in each hive; the labouring bee, and the drone. These latter are males, and impregnate the queen, as well as serve her for a guard. Bees have fixed in their heads two antennæ or horns, which defend their eyes, and warn them of danger; they have fangs or claws, which they use in their labours, and a trunk or hollow tube, that they can project from, or draw into its sheath at pleasure. This instrument, flexible and moveable in every direction, forces itself to the bottom of the cup of flowers, where it collects the honey, which passes through the tube into a little bag, placed within their bodies, whence the honey is afterwards poured out into the cells.

Bees have six feet; with the two first and their fangs they form the wax, which was the farina of flowers, into little balls, and with their middle feet place them in a hollow which they have in their hinder feet, which are furnished with hairs that retain the wax, and prevent it falling off while they fly. Thus, laden with honey and wax, the working bees return to their hives without missing their way, though they sometimes fly the distance of several miles. When "arrived at home, they meet other bees waiting to assist them to discharge their burthen, and then they all unite together to employ the provisions to the best advantage for the hive in general. With the wax they close up the crevices of their dwellings, to prevent any animal intruding; and they leave only such openings as are necessary for their own conve The queen and working bees have at the extrem

ence.