When they have got their habitation fairly covered in they lay out the inside into regular streets, with nests on both sides, about a couple of inches apart. In one respect however they differ from the beaver, they do not appear to lay up a common store of food, the nature of the the climate not rendering such a precaution necessary.

Here is the account of one of these erections furnished by a gentleman who minutely examined the structure.

'I observed on the way a tree with an enormous nest of those birds, and I call them republicans. As soon as I arrived at my camp I despatched a few men with a waggon, to bring it to me, that I might open the hive, and examine the structure in its minutest parts. When it arrived,

I cut it in pieces with a hatchet, and found that the chief portion of the structure consisted of a mass of grass without any mixture, but so compact and firmly basketed together as to be impenetrable to the rain. This is the commencement of the structure; and each bird builds its own nest under this canopy. But the nests are formed only beneath the eaves of the canopy, the upper surface remaining void, without however being useless, for as it has a projecting rim and is a little slanting, it serves to let the rain water run off, and preserves each little dwelling from the rain. Figure to yourself a huge irregular sloping roof, and all under the eaves of which are completely covered with nests, crowded one against another, and you will have a tolerably accurate idea of these singular edifices.

'Each nest is three or four inches in diameter, which is sufficient for the bird. But as they are all in contact with one another around the eaves, they appear to the eye to form but one building, and are distinguishable from each other only by a small outside hole which is the entrance to the nest; and even this little hole is sometimes common to three different nests, one of which is situated at the bottom and the other two at the sides.

'The large nest or canopy which I examined was one of the most considerable which I had seen on my journey, and contained three hundred and twenty inhabited cells.'

A FEW words to guardians of youth,

whether parents or teachers. And first, let me earnestly intreat those parents who wish to see their sons and daughters healthy and strong, to encourage the practice of such evolutions as these. They will have the happiness of seeing their children become robust, hardy, and full of spirits. To schoolmasters let me say, that although cricket is an admirable thing, and running about the playground another admirable thing, still boys, like men, are fond of variety. Many instructers of youth have wished for some Manual of Gymnastics to direct them; heer VOL. VIII. DECEMBER, 1840.

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will be one to their hands, and though written expressly for boys, the exercises in each section have been all so philosophically laid down as to progress from the easiest to the most difficult; thus forming a complete code by which the teacher may be guided. I would suggest that one or more Captains or Leaders be chosen from among the boys of a school by the boys themselves, who, with this Manual for their guide, shall carry them through the various exercises. The Preliminaries should be well practised for a month, dividing the children into classes, according to size, and making it a point

of honor to stand first in the class, which honor shall be the result of superior attention to the Captain's directions. The Captains should have extra drills, the bet ter to enable them to give their lessons to their classes. After the month's practice the class may then be taken to the Parallel Bars and Horizontal Poles, and after half an hour's practice of the Preliminary Exercises, trying only a few of the first exercises on each; they can then finish with a run one morning, and a pull at the rope on another; afterwards a regular routine for a week may be laid down, so that every day may have one or two exercises different from the others. To prevent exercising on the Horizontal Poles at improper times, these poles may be made to fit tightly into grooves, and when not wanted an upward blow with the hand will disengage them. If the rules are steadily adhered to, there is nothing in the whole range of Exercises which may not in time be accomplished by a healthy boy; and if the weaker are kindly led on, they will in their turn perform equally well with their companions.

CHAPTER I.

WHAT do they mean by Gymnastics? What are they good for? Why do they call them so? Can we perform them? Will you show us ?........Were questions all asked of me at once by a parcel of lads just out of school.

Stop, stop! one question at a time, if you please, and I will tell you at once that I know all about the matter, and in due time will endeavor to put you in pos

session of my knowledge upon the subject, being an old Gymnast; and reckon it not the least among the blessings I enjoy, that I had the opportunity of going thro' a regular course of these exercises, which, together with early rising and temperate habits have enabled me to be so active.

Now then to answer your first question. Gymnastics is a term of very extended signification. Among the ancient Greeks it meant that part of physics which relates to exercises for the health.

It was that branch of ecucation which tended to develop the bodily powers of man, and rendered his frame robust and agile; and so long as man possesses a body, so long ought Gymnastics to form a principal object of man's cultivation.

Perhaps you have heard of Jupiter Olympus? well, the most celebrated games or exercises in all Greece were called the Olympic Games; and the place where the Greeks performed these exercises was called a Gymnasium. You all recollect how astonished Xerxes was at the bravery of Leonidas and his little band of three hundred men, so that he declared it was impossible to conquer the Greeks, and ran away as fast as he could to his own country again.

No doubt all these Greeks had been trained in the Gymnasium, for they well understood what an intimate connexion there is between body and mind; so that when the body is strong, healthy and active, the mind is cheerful and elastic, and capable of noble deeds.

But after a great many years, when