limbs are very moveable, so that it bounds or leaps along quickly, and with great ease and a graceful appearance. It leaps well, and often jumps from a great height without hurting itself; for it has little pads or cushions at the bottom of its feet, on which it falls. These cushions are so soft,

that it walks about on them without making any noise, so that it often walks near its prey without their hearing it; and when it is close to them, it springs with a sudden leap, strikes its sharp claws into their flesh, and holds them fast.

These claws are very wonderfully formed: to be of any use in holding its prey,

they must be very sharp, and any one would think that their points would soon be blunted by rubbing against the hard ground; they are, however, so curiously formed, that the beast draws them away from the ground between the soft cushions of its feet. It is only when it wants to use them for holding its prey that it puts them out, and then it may be seen that they are strong, sharp, and hooked. It has also

strong, sharp, and pointed teeth, which it uses to tear its food into pieces before it swallows it. The eyes of this creature are large, and enable it to see when there is very little light, as in the twilight or evening; and even when it is quite dark: it prowls about so lightly that none can hear its foot fall, and it does not fear running against things in its way, for it has long feelers, like large stiff hairs or bristles, standing out from the front and sides of its head. When it is moving about in the dark, these feelers are of the greatest use to it. When they touch any thing on one side, it turns a little to the other, and so avoids it.

When reading the account of this animal, I could not help admiring the beautiful manner in which it was formed by God, so as to enable it to seek and catch the food natural for its support. I thought of its quick and bounding movements; of the soft cushions to its feet, which enable it to

creep so silently on its prey; then its hook-like claws, always kept sharp and ready for use, and yet not in the way of being injured or blunted, when the animal is not using them. And I was much pleased with the account of the feelers, that enable it, without hurting itself, to move about in darkness. All these things proved to me that the same wise care and kindness was shown in creating this animal, as in all the other works of the same almighty Hand. So useful are these animals to the people of the countries where they are found, that they keep them near, and even in their dwelling places, to destroy the small animals that would eat their corn, and other kinds of food.

are

Though naturally these animals blood-thirsty and voracious; yet God, who seems to have formed all animals for man's use in some way or other, has created them with such a disposition, that they soon become familiar with man, although, when quite wild, they are very fierce.

They also become attached to the places where they are kept; and, if taken away, will return from long distances. And, if kindly treated, they love those who attend on them and feed them.

Perhaps, after reading this account of so wisely-formed and useful an animal, you would like to see one, and to know its

name. You may do so without much trou4 ble, for the animal is very common in this and other countries, and people call it— THE CAT.

MAY DAY.

Can you guess

MANY a May day have I seen, but never one so beautiful as the last. why? No, that you cannot. I must tell you all about it.

I see that

It was early in the morning that I set off to the wood-side; for the sloping bank between the wood and the brook is a favourite spot with me. If there are flowers to be gathered anywhere, it is under the wood; and if you want to hear a great many birds sing, go there. I think the birds are quite as fond of that spot as I am.

When I reached the bank, the sun was all in a blaze over the top of Herrick Hill; and the blackbird and the throstle were singing loud enough to be heard in the village; the cuckoo called out in a clear voice; the hawthorn bush by Turfy Tump was as white with May-flowers, as if it had been sprinkled with snow; and half-a-dozen lambs were racing up and down with wild joy-at one time down at the very bottom of the bank close to the brook-and at another standing on the very top of Turfy Tump.

Well! while I was standing looking at the lambs, and listening to the birds, I heard some one talking, so creeping gently up the tump, who should I see sitting under the hawthorn but Lucy Clark, with a handful of flowers before her. From that moment I was as still as a mouse, so that I heard every word that Lucy said. "Let me see!" said Lucy, "the primroses shall be for my sister Mary. I love my sister Mary, for she is a kind sister to me. Yes, yes; she shall have the primroses. The violets; oh, how sweet they smell! I never found such sweet violets before, they shall be for my mother. I can hear the birds sing, but none of them can sing so sweet as mother sang to me when I lay ill in my little crib. Nobody shall have the violets but my mother; for I love her dearly. The cowslips are for father; for I love him, and I know that he loves me. He called me his little darling yesterday. I shall climb on his knee and stick the cowslips in his button-hole; and as sure as I do so, he will give me a kiss, and threaten me that if I do so again he will give me another. I can see sister Mary tying up her primroses, and mother putting her violets in water to keep them fresh, and father sitting in his arm chair with the bunch of cowslips in his button hole. How happy they will be, and how