The preparation for their annual flight is marked by some interesting circumstances. After the swallows have got their second brood, which is generally about the middle of September, they devote the whole of the remaining time to training the young for their ultimate flight. The regularity and order with which this is done, is extraordinary. After the business of the food gathering is over, they assemble in multitudes from all quarters in one general convention, on the roof of some building, or on some large tree. While the assembly are seated together, one who seems commander-in-chief keeps aloft on the wing, flying round and round; at last darting upwards with great swiftness with a loud, sharp, and repeated call, he seems as if he gave the word of command; instantly the whole flock are on the wing, rising upwards in the most beautiful spiral track, till they attain regions beyond the reach of human view. They remain in the upper regions of the stmosphere from a quarter to half-an-hour, when they all return by scores and dozens, to the place from which they took their flight. This manoeuvre they will repeat twice or three times in the evening, when the weather is fair; and after ten or twelve days practicing, they take their final departure for the season.

We are also informed by Culpepper, in his" English Herbal Physician," that these birds are excellent oculists; " For, (says he,) if you put out the eyes of young swallows when they are in the nest, the old ones will recover their eyes again with this herb, (Celandine) This I am confident, for I have tried it, for if we mar the very apple of their eyes with a needle, she will recover them again."

The history of the wise elephant; the sagacious and wonderful beaver; the industrious bee; the indefatigable ant; the docile and friendly dog; the tractable and warlike horse; the cunning fox; and the generous lion, with many others, that deserve our most particular attention. Pope says,

Go, from the creatures thy instructions take:
Learn from the birds what food the thickets yield :
Learn from the beasts the physic of the field;
Thy art of building from the bee receive;
Learn of the mole to plough, the worm to weave;
Learn of the little nautilus to sail,

Spread the thin oar, and catch the driving gale.
Here too all forms of social union find,

And hence let reason, late, instruct mankind.
Here subterranean works and cities see:
Their town aerial on the waving tree.
Learn each small people's genius, policies,
The ant's republic, and the realm of bees;
How these in common all their wealth bestow;
And anarchy without confusion know;

And these for ever, tho' a monarch reign,
Their sep❜rate cells and properties maintain.
Mark what unwearied laws preserve each state,
Laws wise as nature, and as fix'd as fate.

How much man is indebted to many of the beasts, birds, and fishes, for various discoveries in art, science, virtue, policy and good government, is well know to those who study the wisdom of God in the works of his creation. From the elephant to the ant, inclusive of the nautilus, the beaver, the horse, the dog, the bee, with hundreds more that stand unrivalled by man in their different works of ingenuity and industry. To the NAUTILUS are we indebted for one of the grandest and most useful inventions since the world began, namely the art of sailing and managing ships on the ocean.

Oppian Halient. lib. 1. describes this fish in the following manner:-" They swim on the surface of the sea, on the back of their shells, which exactly resemble the hulk of a ship; they raise two feet like masts, and extend a membrane between, which serves as a sail; the other two feet they employ as oars at their side. They are usually seen in the Mediterranean."

I

From what has been observed of brutes by some discerning men, they have admitted them the power of of discriminating objects, and without hesitation, ascribe to them abilities, in some degrees superior to those of men. Many of them give proofs of their prescience in various cases, (as we have already shown in the instance of Sir Henry Lee) particularly the weather; and those who pay necessary attention to them find they are infallible prognosticators. The few following lessons may serve as a specimen.

SIGNS OF RAIN.

When the heron or bitern flies low, the air is gross, and thickening into showers.

When kine view the sky, stretching up their heads, and snuffing the air, moist vapours are engendering: and the cause of their doing so is their sensibleness of the air's sudden alteration from dry to wet; and sudden rain will ensue, though at that time the sun may shine out.

The chattering of swallows, and their flying low about ponds and lakes, denote rain.

The frogs much croaking in the ditches and pools, &c. in the evening, fortells rain in a little time to follow.

The ants' removing their eggs, denotes rain; for finding the air changed into much moisture, they carry them to a place of drier security.

The crows flocking in large flights, holding their heads upwards as they fly, and crying louder than usual, is a sign of rain; as also their stalking by ponds and rivers, and sprinkling themselves.

The often dropping and diving of waterfowls, foreshow that rain is at hand.

The Peacocks crying much, denote rain.

Cattle leaving off to feed, and hasting to shelter under hedges, bushes, trees, out-houses, &c. show sudden showers of rain are coming.

We shall conclude these signs of rainy weather, with the following curious anecdotes.

A gentleman who travelled much, seeing a shepherd by the roadside tending his flocks, and other cattle, demanded of him, if it would continue as it then was, for the sun shined out? The shepherd looking on his cattle, told him it would rain very much in an hour, and extremely wet him, unless he got shelter: the gentleman smiled at this, and would not believe him; but as he said, so it proved; for immediately a little cloud arising at southwest, came driving on with the wind, and