The reign of Thinné lasted for several years, and appears to have been a powerful and prosperous one. He succeeded in quelling the resistance of his rivals, and governed the province with wisdom, until he was slain at Tara, by Moneer, also called Mac Keacht. Meyv assumed the sovereignty immediately on her husband's death; and though, as I have already stated, in the case of Macha, the custom, and indeed the interests of the country as a warlike state, necessarily excluded females from regal power, yet her accession to the throne was not disputed. Her reign and that of Macha, are, perhaps, the only instances in Irish history of independent female government; but it must be owned they are brilliant enough almost to redeem the sex from the general imputation of incapacity for the dominion of public affairs. During the life of Thinné, the conduct of Meyv seems to have been without reproach, but subsequent to his death it was disgraced by gross immorality and levity; and it is a strong proof of the superior virtue and modesty of our country women in those remote times, as in the present, that all our ancient historians hold up this woman's name to censure as an instance of unusual and degrading criminality, notwithstanding their admiration of her talents. In several points of character and conduct, Meyv resembled both Catherine of Russia, and Elizabeth of England. Like them she was favoured by the counsel and services of men of great ability, as in the instance of Olioll Finn, the commander of her forces, who was a celebrated general; like them she was successful in the administration of the affairs of her empire at home, and in the maintenance of its power and dignity abroad; like them, too, she was unhappily distinguished by a disposition for intrigue and the indulgence of sensual passions, while she commanded the respect of both friends and enemies by the vigour of her intellect, and the sagacity of her public policy; but, unlike them, the records of her life do not expose the absurd vanity and vindictive jealousy that characterized Elizabeth, nor the fickleness and ferocity displayed by Catherine. The first widowhood of Meyv lasted ten years. Her second husband was Olioll More, of a noble family in Leinster, by whom she had seven sons and who enjoyed the throne with her until an advanced age when he was slain by Conall Carney, at Cruachan. A controversy exists among some of the historians relative to the precise period of this prince's life, and the allegation, that, previous to his death, his queen had an illicit inintercourse with Fergus, a prince of Ulster, who found protection in her court from the hostility of his own monarch. It appears to me that the circumstances narrated by the historians fix the occurrence of this amour at an earlier period. It was during her widowhood, I believe, that Fergus was compelled to take refuge in Connaught; the gallantries of Meyv were at that time notorious; they were both still in the prime of life, and she was uncontrolled by the marriage tie: These facts make the occurrence of the affair then more probable than the statement that it occurred towards the latter part of Olioll More's life when all the parties had sunk into "the sear and yellow leaf" of old age, and the vicious inclinations become subject to the controul of reason and moral principle. Besides most of the authorities agree that the death of Fergus was caused by Olioll More, in a fit of jealousy, excited by the conduct of Meyv towards him, and this sustains my opinion that the criminal intimacy subsisted between them before the second marriage, rather than when the husband and herself had become old.

Connor Mac Nessa was king of Ulster, and, as I have mentioned, a cotemporary of Meyv. His reputation is that of a wise and politic prince, and there are facts to sustain historians in the opinion; but he was also a man of reckless and violent passions. It was during the period of his reign that the first general reform of the Fileas was effected. It is stated that in Leinster and the Munsters, those belonging to this body entrusted with the administration of the laws, had become so tyrannical, rapacious, and insolent, that the people at length determined to abolish them altogether and seek some more tolerable method of managing their affairs in this department. The Fileas naturally resisted such interference with their authority, and being sustained by the numerous bands of followers, for whose advantage chiefly their legalized system of plunder and oppression was maintained, they struggled desperately with their enemies, until at length the entire people goaded by their aggressions and unwilling to submit to their exactions, resolved to fling off their

* The fruit of which is stated to have been the birth of three sons at one time. One of them was named Ciar, and from him Kerry takes its name, and the house of O'Connor Kerry its descent; Corc, another of them gave its name to Corcomroe, in County Clare, as his district, and from the third, Convac, the Commacnies of Connaught are named.

burthen altogether, and demanded the extinction of the body.Unable to contend with the popular hatred and power they were obliged to relinquish their station, and seek refuge in Ulster. A few of their leaders wisely foresaw the entire downfal of their authority throughout the entire island, unless some concessions were made to appease the people, and they accordingly appealed to the protection and interference of Connor whose character was that of a moderate and sagacious monarch. It was entirely owing to his influence that the people of the other provinces were finally induced to permit the restoration of the Fileas on the condition that the ancient principles of their constitution should be strictly observed by them, and the properties of the people preserved from their grasp. Under the superintendance of Connor and the principal Fileas, the most important laws were reduced into certain dicta or axioms, or as we would term it in modern phrase, were codified, in such precise terms and with such justice and wisdom as to obtain the title of "Celestial Judgments." The wholesome restrictions imposed by this simple and judicious plan upon the Fileas, so effectually protected the people from their arbitrary and corrupt practices that for centuries afterwards it was not found necessary to resort to further measures of reform regarding them. The services rendered on this occasion, to both parties by Connor, justly raised his character, and encreased his influence among the neighbouring states, and made him one of the most respected and powerful provincial princes ever mentioned in our annals. His reputation, also, for wisdom was fully sustained by his military talent and achievements. During his times those institutions of chivalry, (the most ancient, and, perhaps, most glorious on record,) which are celebrated by our historians and poets, were flourishing in their fullest fame and splendour. Without meaning to describe them it is necessary to observe that each province contained one of these remarkable bodies of warriors. The most distinguished of them were the Red-Branch Knights of Ulster; the Finnians, of Connaught, ranked next; the Degadians, or Clan-Daee, of Munster, mostly the descendants of one family, and at the period stated commanded by Curigh Mac Darry, held the third place in general estimation; but the troops of Leinster were not much prized. Connor, as chief of the Red-branch Knights, was formidable in the field; and he seems to have exercised his strength with great advantage to the kingdom on one occasion, when by his unaided forces he repelled an invasion made by a strong body of marauders, under the command of Davall, son of the king of Lochlin. The enemy landed on the coast of Ulster, and marched into the interior, but were met at Enagh Macha, which is a district supposed to lie between Lough Erne and the bay of Donegal, where they were completely routed, and driven from the country. Thus, perhaps, did Connor avert at that period, the destruction which the successful inroads of the same barbarians, subsequently brought upon Ireland. Such conduct as I have detailed of this prince entitles him to our highest respect; it proves him to have been equally wise and brave—a good statesman and a great warrior. I regret, therefore, that I must notice other circumstances which lessen our esteem for him, and remind us how seldom we meet a man whose amiable and brilliant qualities are not overshadowed by dark and dangerous passions and vices.

One of the most beautiful and affecting romances of history developes to us the character of Connor in its worst form. It is related that he had taken into his guardianship a young female, named Deirdré, whose beauty has made her the Venus of Irish song, with the determination to enjoy her charms himself. Accident made her acquainted with Naisi, son of an Ulster nobleman, named Usneach, also remarkable for his personal attractions, and their intimacy ended in mutual affection, and a resolution to clope together. The brothers of Naisi and their followers aided him in the enterprise, but being eagerly pursued by the vengeance of Connor, they took refuge in Scotland, whence they were decoyed by the pledge of Connor, that they should be safe and security afforded by his own relatives as hostages. The unfortunate sons of Usneach were no sooner within the power of their enemy than he caused them to be slain, in violation of his solemn faith, and seized upon Deirdré. The sons of Usneach were so highly esteemed by their countrymen that a revolt ensued; and even Fergus who was both the uncle and Tanist, or chosen successor of Connor, and had been one of the hostages sent by him to the victims of his treachery, led the attack on his palace of Eamania, which was destroyed, and put the king himself to flight. Fergus and the other leaders of this 'retributive enterprise were shortly after obliged to take refuge in Connaught, where they were kindly received and pro

Supposed to be Deamark or Norway.

tected by Meyv. They were not only protected but enabled to retaliate the injuries they suffered by the Connaught troops; and during seven years a system of constant warfare and plunder between Ulster and Connaught was the result. The Finnians of Connaught, under the command of Olioll Finn, and the Red-Branch Knights of Ulster, under the command of Connor, signalised themselves greatly during this period. The famous Cuchullin, better known as one of the heroes in the poems attributed to Ossian, by Macpherson, was in the service of Connor, and many other men of equal note are recorded in the histories of the time. It was this hostility, commenced as I have described, which led afterwards to the death of both Meyv and Connor. Meyv was brutally assassinated by a son of Connor, while indulging in the exercise of swimming, of which she was particularly fond; and Connor died some years after the termination of the war, in consequence of a fracture of the skull, inflicted while it continued by a Connaught champion, who was expert in the use of the sling.

Thus, we behold two persons with power to confer incalculable good on millions of their fellow-beings, and gifted with some qualities that should have ensured them the highest respect of all mankind, wasting their power and energies in contests, and pursuits, that deprive them of the regard of pure and rational minds, and were their own curse and punishment. It ic true, they excelled most princes in the attributes of commanding intellect and skill in government, and their faults were those of individuals of their rank in all ages, and in all countries; but, while we admit their superiority, in some important respects, over most of these commemorated by history, we must not, therefore, permit ourselves to overlook their vices, in the admiration of their virtues. C.

IRISH LEARNING IN ANCIENT TIMES. PTOLEMY who wrote early in the second age of the Christian era, in his table of Europe, enumerates, in the Greek language, ten distinguished cities in the interior and on the coasts of Ireland, and his annotator adds that Ptolemy placed Ireland amongst the most celebrated islands in the world.

SPENCER, in his treatise entitled, "A view of the State of Ireland," written upwards of 200 years ago, says, "All the customs of the Irish which I have often noted, and compared with what I have read, would minister occasion of a most ample discourse of the original of them, and the antiquity of that people, which, in the truth, I think to be more ancient than most I know of in this end of the world." In another part of the same work he describes this country so antique that " monument of her beginning and first inhabiting remains."and he adds again-" It is certain that Ireland hath had the use of letters very anciently and long before England."

no

CAMDEN, in his "Britannia," written more than two centuries ago, says, "From hence (Ireland) our old Saxon ancestors seem to have had the form of their letters, as they plainly used the same characters which are at present in use among the Irish." LORD LITTLETON, in his fistory of the reign of Henry II., says, “A school was formed at Armagh, which soon became very famous, many Irish went from thence to convert and teach other nations. Many Saxons out of England resorted thither for instruction, and brought from thence the use of letters to their ignorant countrymen."

DR. JOHNSON, in his history of the English language, prefixed to his dictionary, makes this observation: "What was the form of the Saxon language when about the year 150 they first entered Britain, cannot now be known. They seem to have been a people without learning, and very probably without an alphabet."

BEDE, in his history of the Primitive Church of England, written 1100 years, designates Ireland thus:--Geniem innoxium et nationi Anglorum semper dulcissimum. In the same manner the celebrated Aleuinus, who wrote 70 years after BEDE, bears similar testimony, and in his poem about the prelates, and holy men of the church of York, describes the people of Ireland Anglis semper amicus.

BEDE, in the third book of the history already quoted, gives an account of the conversion to Christanity of Oswald, king of Northumberland, by Aidanus, a venerable Irish missionary, who had been sent to him in compliance with the king's request, "that those who had conferred the sacrament upon his son Alfred and his attendants while in Ireland, would send some zealous and learned prelate to instruct his English subjects in the faith of Christ, and administer the sacrament to them. After this many priests began to come daily from Ireland into

England, to preach the Christian faith with great zeal and devotion, in every part of King Oswald's dominions, and to administer the sacrament of Baptism to all such as were converted. Churches were built in many places, the people, with joy, assembled to hear the word of God."

In the next chapter he gives a brief history of the mission of St. Columban :

"In the beginning of the reign of Justin the younger, who succeeded Justinian in the government of the Roman Empire, A. D. 565, Columban, a priest and abbot of great celebrity, whose life corresponded with the habit of a monk, which he had taken, came from Ireland into Britain to teach the word of God to the northern provinces of the Picts. He converted the whole nation in a very short time, by his eloquence and good example, as a tribute of gratitude for which he received the Isle of Icombkill, to build and endow a monastery."

ASSERIUS, a cotemporary writer with King Alfred, in his annals of the year 651, informs his readers that Furseus, another Irish missionary, much extolled also by BEDE, visited the territories of Sigibert, king of the East Angles, and converted to the Christian faith large numbers of his subjects.

FORDUN, a writer of the 13th century, states that Aidanus, Finatus, and Colmanus, or St. Colman, the founder of the monastery of Mayo, converted to Christianity several kings of the northern and central inhabitants of England, so far as the banks of the Thames, and also the great body of their subjects. He enumerates the following kings converted by them :Gandfridus, Oswaldus, Ostery, Oswin, Penda, and Sigibert. William of Maimsbury states that at the time of Andhelm (who was himself instructed by Medulphus, an Irishman, and founder of the college of Malmsbury,) the Irishmen were then maxime doctos."

CAMDEN, in his history before quoted, speaking of he foundation of Glastonbury, says, "In those early ages inen of exemplary piety devoted themselves here to God, especially the Irish who were maintained at the king's expense, and instructed youth in religion and the liberal sciences."

ARCHBISHOP USHER, the Protestant Primate of Ireland, more than 200 years ago, concludes a long narration of the virtues, lives, and labours of those Irish missionaries, by saying that the bare enumeration of the names, not to talk of the acts of the distinguished holy men of Ireland, would require much study and labour.

MORERI in his celebrated dictionary, under the article "Ireland" gives an interesting description of the labours of Irishmen in the diffusion of Christianity, civilization and literature, over the world, and the foundation of monasteries, schools, and colleges by them. He adds, “Ireland has given the most distinguished professors to the most famous universities in Europe, as Claudius Clemens to Paris, Albunus to Pavia, in Italy, Johannes Scotus Erigina to Oxford, in England."

The English Saxons received from the Irish their letters, and with them the arts and sciences which have been distinguished among these people, as Sir James Weir proves in his treatise on Irish writers, chapter thirteen of the first book, where may be seen an account of the celebrated academies and public schools which were maintained in Ireland, in the 7th, 8th, 9th, and 10th ages, which were resorted to particularly by the Anglo-Saxons, the French, and ancient writers, who were all received there with greater hospitality than any other country in the Christian world. And again he states, "They (the Irish) were inundated by the interruption of a frightful number of Danes, and other people of the north, who, like the Romans in France about the same time, destroyed, ruined their colleges and monasteries, put to death an infinite number of monks and priests, and reduced that country (which was then, as the historians of that time declare, the most civilized in Europe, the nursery of all sciences and virtues) to the last state of barbarism." Sir James Weir, after noticing Giraldus Cambrensis, observes, "Although the Norwegian plunderers, who in the 9th age, under Turgesius, occupied this land for 30 years, destroyed almost all the churches and books by fire; nevertheless, the study of literature revived, and even in the 11th age Ireland was esteemed the repertory of the most learned men."

LORD LITTLETON says, We learn from BEDE, an Anglo-Saxon, that about the 7th century, (being the period of the institution of the monastery of Mayo) numbers both of the noble and second rank of English, left their country and retired out of England into Ireland for the sake of studying Theology, or leading there a stricter life, and all these he affirms the Irish (whom he calls Scots) most willingly received and maintained at their own charge, supplying them with books, and being their teach

surgent, they all went home and left me, (for I voliteered my sarvices like an omedaun) to see if any one would cum that night. I remimber it well, it was as dishmal a night as ever cum down out of the heavens; 'twas in December, gloomy and dark as pitch. They left me about eight o'clock in the evening, and buttoning my coat tight about me, I sat down upon the little wall near the road side, and begun to hum a mournful tune for company. Well sartainly the sound of one's own voice is mighty melancholy when there's nobody else near; and so I soon stopped that, and as I had nothing else to do I began to listen to the moans of the wind, that you'd think 'twas an ould woman keening; and the hoarse tyrannical roar of the oshen beyant that you'd give your davy 'twas a monster roaring for his prey; and the waves as they cum in rowling over the strand, for all the world as if they were going to lay a reg`lar siege to the little grave-yard where myself was sittin'; and twenty quare thoughts cum'd uppermost into my head. One time I would picthur to myself the waves approaching like an army a-horseback, and shaking their white tops for feathers; and then I would fancy I saw the dead people starting up out of their graves, and rushing down helthur skelthur to purtect Jheir resting-place, shouldering human bones for fire-arms-they grabbed thigh-bones, and arm-bones, and all the bones they could cotch up in their hurry, and when they would, make ready-persent-back the waves id gallop nimble enough, but it was to wheel about agin with more fury and nearer to the enimy, who in their turn would scamper back agin with long strides, their white sheets flying behind 'em, like the cullegian chaps of a windy Sunday, and grinning frightfully through the holes which wanst were eyes. Another time I would look across to Howth as it riz like a black joint betune me and the sky; and I would | think if the devil that is chained down below there at full length in a cavern near the light-house was to break loose, what a purty pickle I'd be in.

"It was such thoughts as these that were uppermost in my mind, and finding my spirits begin to get low, I thought it best try if I could keep 'em up by a little dhrop of my cruiskeen that I had with me to keep me warm inside;-and good luck to 'em for it, it wasn't a small one they supplied me with neither; and so taking a good swig I felt myself getting bould agin. Up and down I marches like a sentry, one time whistling, then singing, and then taking a dhrop of the cordial; but that, more's the pity, soon begun to run dry, until there wasn't a drain left, and 'twas then I felt desarted intirely. Three long hours passed away, which seemed to me like so many centuries, whin I heerd a noise behind me which made my flesh creep, and presently a hollow voice as if out of one of the graves said n a dismal tone- There's-on-ly-one !'-My head went round and round, and the senses were scattering away from me, when I was seized near the scruff of the pole by a dead fist, and somethin' like a sack was thrun over my head, and may be 'twas then I didn't shiver like a dog in a wet sack; my teeth began to chatter like hail-stones against a windee, and before the sinses left me intirely I stammered out-Oh, murther! who are you and what d'ye's want wid me?' 'Make no noise,' says one; he's dhrunk,' says another; 'come, we'll duck him in the sea,' roars another; and there was so many voices clitter clatter about me, that I thought every mother sowl had started up from their graves, and were playing their pickie with me. I was trying if I could get one eye out to have a peep at 'em, when one chap cries out- boys, bring him to the top of Howth, and we'll make a foot-ball of him to warm our toes.'-And, whoo!—no sooner said than done--I was whirled up in the air, and away we all flew like the devil in a gale of wind. Well I was whapped, and bumped, and rowled about as if I was a foot-ball sure enough, and more be token I thought every minit their sharp boney tones would go through me ; and then they all stopped for a while, and gother together, and began to dig away the earth with their marrow-bones, as if it was spades they had, and then I was cock-sure they were going to bury me alive on the tip top of Howth. How long I lay in a trance at the fright of this I can't tell; but when I opened my eyes it was day-light, and Jack Lynch standing over me with his mouth open; but in place iv being berried on the top of Howth, where should I find myself but in the middle of the ould ruins of Kilbarrack, where they brought me back agin, taking pity on my poor ould mother I suppose, who would be very badly off without me. And so when I got up I saw poor Mary's grave dug-the coffin was there, but when I looked close down there was nothing in it but the white sheet-the corpse was gone! G. C.

THE FIRST WEAVERS.

(Abridged from the Juvenile Forget-me-Not.)

Ir is probable that weaving at first consisted merely in intermixing substances which had undergone little or no previous preparation; while, in later times, the material to be woven was spun. The first invented cloth was, perhaps, composed of rushes, straws, or shreds of the bark and fibrous parts of trees or plants, which needed no such process. When substances were found that might be so united by twisting as to form continuous and unbroken threads, whose strength allowed of their displacing ruder materials, great advancement was made in the art. It is remarkable, too, that improvements in the loom are of recent date; and that even now the artisan often prefers it in its original simplicity. But I have seen at Manchester and Blackburn, hundreds of looms worked by steam; and in Leeds I had the pleasure of inspecting an extensive manufactory, where the wool goes in just as it comes from the back of the sheep, and from whence it is sent out the best cloth that can be made.

Travellers assert that weaving, in some form or other, has been pursued in almost every country where the inhabitants are led by the nature of the climate to seek protection from its inclemency. Its origin is, therefore, involved in deep obscurity; but, doubtless, it was practised by inferior creatures long before it was discovered by man. For instance, there is a marsh not far from Long-champs which abounds with a water-plant called pondweed. Its shining leaves, which are as large as those of the laurel or orange tree, but thicker and more fleshy, are spread on the surface of the water; and beneath one of these Reaumur discovered the cell of a caterpillar, which is called the pondweed tent maker; and afterwards minutely watched its movements. Having fastened a patch of leaf, of the size and shape suited to its purpose, to another leaf, or the underside of its own, so as to form a hollow cell, and secured the leaf by threads of white silk, it weaves a cocoon in the cavity, which is somewhat thin, but of very close tissue, and there shuts itself up only to emerge as a perfect insect. This cocoon of leaves, lined with silk, is constructed underneath the water; thus shewing that the caterpillar has a particular art, by which it repels the water from between the leaves. I may mention, too, that the caterpillar of the emperor-moth feeds on fruit-trees and on the willow, and spins a cocoon, in the form of a Florence flask, of strong silk, so thickly woven that it appears almost like damask or leather. It differs from most other cocoons, in not being closed at the upper or smaller end, which terminates in a narrow circular opening, formed by the converging of little bundles of silk, gummed together, and almost as elastic as whalebone. As all these end in needle-shaped points, the entrance of depredators is guarded against, on the principle which prevents the escape of a mouse from a wire-trap. Not contented, however, with this protection, the insect constructs another, within the external aperture, in the form of a canopy or dome, so as effectually to defend the chrysalis. But though the cocoon is thus, in some measure, impenetrable from without, it is readily opened from within; and when the moth issues from its case, it easily passes through, without either the acid or eyefiles ascribed to the silk-worm. The elastic silk gives way on being pushed from within; and when the insect is fairly out, it shuts of its own accord, like a door with spring hinges.

A curious fact was mentioned to me, some days ago, by a gentleman who has resided many years in the island of Antigua. He says he has often observed a large spider, which generally lives in houses, and never spins a net, but weaves a silken bag, about as large as a sixpence, which is always carried wherever it goes, and in which its eggs are deposited. On this, too, it seems to sit as a hen does; and when the eggs are hatched, the young spiders make their way through the woven substance, which is remarkably strong, and is then abandoned by them and the parent insect. The nests of the larger hunting-spiders are of a very close satin-like texture. Some have been examined which were about two inches high, and had two parallel chambers placed perpendicularly, in which position the inhabitant reposed there through the day, going abroad to prey, it is imagined, during the night. But the most remarkable circumstance was, that the openings, two above and two below, were so elastic as to shut almost close. In Evelyn's Travels in Italy, we find the following account of these little creatures :

"Of all sorts of insects, none have afforded me more divertisement than the venatores, which are a sort of lupi, † that have their dens in rugged walls and crevices of our houses; a small brown and delicately spotted kind of spiders, whose

hinder legs are longer than the rest. Such I did frequently observe at Rome, which, espying a fly at three yards distance, upon the balcony where I stood, would not make directly to her, but crawl under the rail, till, being arrived at the antipodes it would steal up, seldom missing its aim; but, if she chanced to want any thing of being perfectly opposite, would at first peep, immediately slide down again,-till, taking better notice, it would come the next time exactly upon the fly's back: but if this happened not to be within a competent leap, then would this insect move so softly, as the very shadow of the gnomen seemed not to be more imperceptible, unless the fly moved; and then would the spider move also in the same proportion, keeping that just time with her motion, as if the same soul had animated both these little bodies; and, whether it was forwards, backwards or to either side, without at all turning her body, like a well-managed horse: but if the capricious fly took wing, and pitched upon another place, behind our huntress, then would the spider whirl its body so nimbly about as nothing could be imagined more swift; by which means she always kept the head towards her prey, though, to appearance, as unmoveable as if it had been a nail driven into the wood; till, by that indiscernable progress (being arrived within the sphere of her reach,) she made a fatal leap, swift as lightning, upon the fly, catching him in the pole, where she never quitted hold till her belly was full, and then carried the remainder home."

One of these small hunters, with a back striped with black and white, like a zebra, is very common in Britain. The abode of the labyrinthic spider is, however, a contrast to the little elastic satin nest of the hunter; and is often seen spread out, like a broad sheet, in hedges, furze, and other low bushes, and sometimes on the ground. The middle of this sheet, which is of a close texture, is swung, like a sailor's hammock, by silken ropes extended all around to the higher branches; but the whole curves upwards and backwards, sloping down to a long funnelshaped Gallery, about a quarter of an inch in diameter. This is much more closely woven than the sheet part of the web, and sometimes descends into a hole in the ground, though oftener into a group of crowded twigs, or a tuft of grass. Here the spider dwells secure, frequently resting with her legs extended from the entrance of the gallery, ready to spring out on whatever insect may fall into her sheet-net.

In the nest of the hedge-sparrow, which is formed of green moss, rather loosely, on a foundation of a few dry twigs; there is a circular piece of hair-cloth, curiously wrought, which in some cases is of considerable thickness, though it is often so thin as not to cover the moss; but the hairs are always collected and interwoven into the structure singly, and, moreover, bent carefully, so as to lie smooth in the circular cup of the nest. Not a single end is left projecting; but all are pushed in among the moss in the exterior. Other birds are still more skilful in weaving the pied wag-tail forms a texture of hair more than half an inch thick, and the interior presents a smooth, uniform surface; but, perhaps, the preference must be given to the chaffinch. Mr. Rennie says, "We have one chaffinch's nest, which appears more beautiful than usual, from being lined with a smooth, thick texture of cow's hair, all of an orange-brown colour, which forms a fine contrast to the white wool intermixed with grey lichens and green moss around the brim. In some specimens, again, the hairs are nearly all white, and in others nearly all black; though seldom in a mass, and almost wholly worked in hair by hair. If a tuft of hair is procured, therefore, from a tree or a gate-post where cattle have been rubbing themselves, the chaffinch seems to pull it minutely to pieces before interweaving it, while the wagtail and some other birds merely flatten it to make it lie smooth."

There is a bird called "the weaver oriole," which is supposed to be a native of Senegal. Two that were taken to France seemed to be of different ages, the elder having a kind of crown, which appeared in sun-light of a glossy golden brown colour; but at the autumnal moult this disappeared, leaving the head of a yellow colour, though its golden brown always returned in the spring. The principal colour of the body was yellowish orange, but the wings and tail had a blackish ground. The younger bird had not the golden brown on the head till the end of the second year, from which it was supposed to be a female, as female birds look young for a longer time than the males. The two birds were kept in the same cage, and lived at first on the best terms with one another. Having been observed in the spring to interweave chickweed into the wire of their cage, it was thought they wished to nestle; and on being supplied with fine rushes, they built a nest so capacious as entirely to conceal

The hand of a dial.

one of them. In the following year they renewed their labours; but the younger, which had now acquired its full plumage, was driven off by the other from the nest first begun. It, however, commenced one for itself in the opposite corner of the cage; but the elder continuing his persecution, the birds were separated. They went on working at their several buildings; but what was built one day was generally destroyed the next. said that one of them, having by chance obtained a bit of sewing silk, wove it among the wires; which being observed, more was given him, when the bird interlaced the whole, but very confusedly, so as to hinder the greater part of one side of the cage from being seen through.

It is

Weaving is, indeed, a common process among foreign birds. One weaves a hemispherical structure of dry grass, the blades of which it winds round the adjacent branch of a tree; another constructs a neat conical hanging nest, which outwardly is formed of various light materials, bits of rotten wood, fibres of dry stalks of weeds, pieces of paper, commonly newspapers --so that some call it the "politician,"-all interwoven with the silk of caterpillars; and, Vaillant has given us a description of a nest which is very beautiful. "In one of our journeys," he says, "through a wood of mimosas, in the country of the Caffres, my good Klaas discovered and brought me this nest, having seen and particularly observed a male and female tchitrec occupied in constructing it. It is remarkable for its peculiar form, bearing a strong resemblance to a small horn suspended, with the point downwards, between two branches. Its greatest diameter was two inches and a half, and gradually diminishing towards the base. It would be difficult to explain the principle upon which such a nest had been built, particularly as three fourths of it appeared to be entirely useless and idly made; for the part which was to contain the eggs, and which was alone indispensible, was not more than three inches from the surface. All the rest of this edifice, which was a tissue closely and laboriously woven of slender threads, taken from the bark of cestain shrubs, seemed to be totally useless."But in this remark he appears to have been too precipitate.

To say that any thing is useless in the creation of God, is not warranted by the knowledge of the traveller, or of any since his time. But an extract from Wilson will very appropriately close our recapitulation. "Almost the whole genus of orioles," says he, "belong to America, and, with a few exceptions, build pensile nests. Few of them, however, equal the Baltimore in the construction of these receptacles for their young, and in giving them, in such a superior degree, convenience, warmth, and security. For these purposes, he generally fixes on the high bending extremities of the branches, fastening strong strings of hemp or flax 10und two forked twigs, corresponding to the intended width of the nest; with the same materials, mixed with quantities of loose tow, he interweaves or fabricates a strong, firm kind of cloth, not unlike the substance of a hat in its raw state, forming it into a pouch of six or seven inches in depth, lining it substantially with various soft substances, well interwoven with the outward netting; and, lastly, finishes with a layer of horse-hair, the whole being shaded from the sun and rain by a natural penthouse, or canopy of leaves. So solicitous is the Baltimore to procure proper materials for his nest, that, in the season of building, the women in the country are under the necessity of narrowly watching their thread that may chance to be bleaching; and the farmer, to secure his young grafts; as the Baltimore, finding the former and the strings that tie the latter so well adapted for his purpose, frequently carries off both; or should the one be too heavy, and the other too firmly tied, he will tug at them a considerable time before he gives up the attempt. Skeins of silk and hanks of thread have been often found, after the leaves were fallen, hanging round the Baltimore's nest, but so woven up and entangled, as to be entirely irreclaimable. Before the introduction of Europeans, no such material could have been obtained here; but with the sagacity of a good architect, he has improved this circumstance to his advantage; and the strongest and best materials are uniformly found in those parts by which the whole is supported."

DURATION OF LIFE. From the most accurate Life Annuity Tables, it appears that the duration of life, a century ago, in England, was only three-fourths of what it is at present, and that this is true in respect to each sex. It also appears that the life of a woman is vastly superior to that of a man at every age above infancy. One fact is of a surprising nature; it appears that the waste of infant life among the poor of the metropolis is most frightful. Out of every 1000 born only 542 are alive at the mother's next pregnancy-that is, scarcely more than half survive nursing.