In the depths of the forests the wood plants feel
The music that breathes in that silvery peal.

Then the beautiful moss sports her feathery crest,
And the primrose knows that she soon must be drest.

So she opens her wardrobe, just to begin,
Unfolding her robes that lie folded within;
And other small blossoms seem winking their eyes,
As if they suspected 'twas time to arise.

But roused by the call of the snowdrop chime,
The fieldfares are up in the morning's prime;
"Tis a warning note, that bids them prepare
For a distant flight through the fields of air.

They may linger awhile, but the time draws nigh,

And some morn, ere the sunbeams have brighten'd the sky, The fieldfares and redwings are travelling post,

To the distant shores of the Syrian coast.

Farewell, wandering birds! secure be your flight,
And fruitful the lands whereon ye alight!

Though your path through the sky we may not discern,
In the last days of autumn we hail your return.

When the fields ye left bare in our Western Isle,
Array'd in rich harvests luxuriantly smile,
Ye will fly to the northward, and, ceasing to rove,
Build your nests in the shade of some favourite grove.

When the leaves of our forests are fallen and sere,
Again, fleeting rovers, we'll welcome you here,
Till the silvery bells of the snowdrop, once more,
Shall warn you to fly from our sea-girdled shore.

The afternoon lessons took the children again to the school-room. The evening found them assembled in the drawing-room, talking over the day's employments with their papa. Mr. Leslie, who had been out with his gun, told them of

things which he had noticed in his day's sport, and the children gave an animated account of their walk. The peziza was shown as the grand prize, and was duly admired. They talked about the fieldfares, and he related an anecdote of one of these birds, which he had heard or seen some time before.

"A gamekeeper of Lord Lowther's," he said, "was out shooting on one of that nobleman's estates, when he observed a hawk pursuing a fieldfare, and prepared to fire at it. The fieldfare, driven towards him by the hawk, flew against his breast, and then took refuge on his shoulder. He had a double-barrelled gun in his hand. He fired once, but the hawk, intent on his prey, seemed unconscious of it, and the fieldfare remained on his shoulder, unscared by the report of the gun. He fired again, and the hawk fell dead at his feet. The little bird now left his shoulder; she flew round her lifeless enemy, uttering a cry of joy, and then took her flight from her benefactor, who saw her no more.'

"She ought to have stayed, to thank him for her safety," said Harry.

"If it were a human being so rescued, I agree with you, Harry. In the case of the bird, the confidence it had shown in man, in the hour of danger, must have been too surprising and gratifying to leave any disposition to complain."

By the blazing fire, and at the lamp-lighted

table, the evening passed swiftly away in various occupations. The book, the pencil, the needle, the game of chess, music, or conversation, gave employment for all its hours. On such occasions, the words of Cowper were often recalled:

"Oh, Winter! ruler of the inverted year,

I love thee, all unlovely as thou seem'st,
And dreaded, as thou art . . .

I crown thee king of intimate delights,
Fire-side enjoyments, home-born happiness,
And all the comforts that the lowly roof
Of undisturb'd retirement, and the hours
Of long uninterrupted evening, know."

The next day the weather continued open, and they found much to do and see. Since the pezizas were out, something might be in their gardens. There they discovered that the single wallflower was showing its buds.

"And oh! Emily," said George, "here is your Christmas-rose just opened. How strange that it should have put out its buds in the midst of the snow we had a fortnight ago. It must have done so, for it could not suddenly have burst into bloom in the last two or three milder days."

"It is very true," said his father, who was directing some planting he wished to see completed; "it is very true that your sister's plant has been perfecting its flowers in the midst of December' cold. The frost and snow we had at the beginning of this month have not kept it from blowing. It is a true winter flower. But look at the herbaceous

plants, that are not fitted to encounter the winter's cold, George. They have died down to the roots, and there is nothing left that the frost can touch. The dry hardy root remains inactive in the ground, and will not send out a single shoot until the fit season arrives. You will find the buds of the horsechestnut, and many other trees, covered with a resinous gum. This prevents the frost from penetrating, and keeps the leaves and blossoms securely sealed up till the proper season. Then sunshine, and rain, and ruffling breezes combine to set them free, and they unfold in all their beauty. We cannot observe such wonderful provisions for the security of even vegetable life, without perceiving the wisdom and loving-kindness of our Heavenly Father. Surely we ought to praise him for his goodness, while we look with reverence on every proof of his skill and power."

Mr. Leslie was called away, to give directions to the planters. The children drove their hoops into the shrubbery, and scarcely fancied it winter, while they went through walks sheltered by flourishing evergreens. In some parts, too, the blossoms of the laurustinus were seen contrasted with the red berries of the mountain-ash, or the holly, or the thorn. Suddenly, at one turn in a walk, all exclaimed,-"What a delicious scent!" "What can it be?" "Where does it come from?" Presently one of the boys dashed into a bed of frozen green leaves, exclaiming,-" I have found it!" In

the midst of these, stood erect the pale blossoms of the sweet coltsfoot, from whence the hay-like scent proceeded. It was quickly gathered, and taken to the house as not unfit to be placed by the side of rarer flowers.

Day after day fresh subjects of interest were presented to the young Leslies as they went about noticing everything around them.

"Would it not be a good plan to keep a journal of all the plants, and birds, and other things we meet with in our walks?" they said.

On talking over the plan with Papa, he offered to help them in forming tables of some of the principal objects of Natural History they might expect to find in each month of the year as it came round. The offer was accepted with delight, and the results will be found in the calendar at the end of each chapter.