LESSON XXXV. WHAT IS THAT, MOTHER? 1. "WHAT is that, mother?" "The lark, my child; The morn has but just looked out and smiled, Ever, my child, be thy morn's first lays 2. "What is that, mother?" "The dove, my son; And that low, sweet voice, like the widow's moan, Is flowing out from her gentle breast, Constant and pure, by that lonely nest, As the wave is poured from some crystal urn, In friendship as faithful, as constant in love." 3. "What is that, mother?" "The eagle, my boy, Proudly careering his course of joy; Firm, in his own mountain vigor relying; Breasting the dark storm; the red bolt defying: Boy, may the eagle's flight ever be thine, He is floating down from his native grove; He is floating down, by himself, to die. DOANE. LESSON XXXVI. THE BIRDS OF HEAVEN. 1. HARK to Nature's lesson, given Warbles sweet philosophy: "Mortal', fly from doubt and sorrow'; 2. "Say', have kings more wholesome fare Mortal', fly from doubt and sorrow; 3. "One there lives, who, Lord of all, Free from doubt and faithless sorrow: BISHOP HEBER. XXXVII. QUESTIONS TO THE BIRDS, AND THEIR ANSWERS. 1. THE EAGLE. ART thou the king of birds, proud eagle'? Say'! 2. VULTURES. Abominable harpies'!1 spare the dead'! 3. THE OWL. Blear-eyed,2 strange-voiced, sharp-beaked, ill- What art thou? "What I ought to be-an owl; Swallow', why homeward turned thy joyful I found myself that moment on the way; 5. THE CANARY. Dost thou not languish for thy father- Madeira's fragrant woods and billowy strand' ?5 6. THE HUMMING-BIRD. Art thou a bird', or bee', or butterfly'? 7. THE WOODPECKER. Rap, rap-rap, rap-I hear thy knocking bill, Then thy strange outcry, when the woods are still. "Thus am I ever laboring for my bread, And thus give thanks to find my table spread." 8. THE PARROT. Parrot', why hast thou learned by rote to speak Words without meaning through thy uncouth beak'? "Words have I learned'? and without meaning too'? No wonder, sir-for I was taught by you'." 9. CHANTICLEER. [count'? Who taught thee, Chanticleer, the time to Learn from my voice Time's worth and its amount. Long before wheels and bells had learned to chime,? I told the steps unseen, unheard, of Time." 10. THE PHEASANT. [town'; Pheasant', forsake the country', come to I'll warrant thee a place beneath the crown. "No; not to roost upon the throne, would I Renounce the woods, the mountains, and the sky." 11. THE STORK. [thee'? Stork', why were human virtues given to "That human beings might resemble me: 12. ROBIN AND SPARROW. Familiar warbler', wherefore art thou come'? 1 HAR'-PIES, plunderers. 2 BLEAR-EYED, dim-sighted. 3 SCARE-CROW, a frightful thing. 4 LAN-GUISH, pine; lose animation. LESSON XXXVIII. A SOUTH SEA ROOKERY (MORRELL). 1. A ROOKERY is a temporary encampment of oceanic1 birds, for the purpose of bringing forth their young; and they unite in immense numbers, and with great industry, to construct it. When a sufficient number of penguins, albatrosses, etc., are assembled on the shore, they appear to hold a deliberate consultation, and then proceed to the execution of the grand purpose for which they left their favorite element. 2. In the first place, they carefully select a level piece of ground, of suitable extent, and as near the water as practicable, always preferring that which is the least encumbered? with stones and other hard substances, with which it would be dangerous to have their eggs come in contact. As soon |