the transparent glass above him, if he can not see it; finally, he concludes he will taste it up comes his proboscis in contact with it, giving you a fine opportunity to view this organ; but the glass is tasteless to him, he gathers no sweet, and around he goes again, never reconciled to his situation.

The fly, when thus viewed beneath the microscope, presents many points of great interest. You have seen him walk on the window-pane or upon the under surface of smooth glass, with his body downward. Look at his feet, and you will see how he does this. He has two sharp claws, but they can not penetrate the glass to sustain even his slight weight, so they turn to one side; but between the claws are two membraneous expansions, or soft cushions, which come in contact with the glass, as you will notice, and adhere to its surface, either owing to atmospheric pressure, or the exudation of a sticky fluid on the surface of these soft bodies. Below is a correct representation of a fly's foot, which has been mounted in Canada balsam, be

tween a thick and a very thin piece of

glass, as seen in the Craig Microscope. There is quite a diversity in the appearance of the feet and legs of the different varieties of flies.

The wing of a fly, how beautiful in color, yet how delicate! and what a wonderful organ is his great motionless eye, with its cornea composed of over 4,000 little six-sided faces or eyes, through which the insect looks in different directions!

But of what use are flies, is an inquiry often made. They are scavengers, and delight not alone in sweet things, but in unclean things also, especially in decaying animal-matter, sucking up the juices which by decomposition would contaminate the air. Their principal service, however, is rendered while in the state of infancy. The eggs of the blue-bottle, or blow-fly, are deposited on putrifying animal substances, and are known as fly-blows. In a warm temperature they are hatched in three or four hours, and the maggots begin their work immediately. Nearly all insects are hatched from eggs which are laid by the parent on the substances that are to serve for the food of the young. But a singular exception is made in the case of some flesh-flies. To enable the maggots to enter promptly upon their appointed tasks, they are produced alive; and so prolific are they, that Réaumur observed twenty thousand in a single fly; and they are so voracious that they increase in weight upwards of two hundred-fold in twenty-four hours. It is an oft-quoted saying of Linnæus, that the maggots from three flies will consume a horse as quickly as a lion. They come to full growth in three or four days; then they leave the filth which they were ordained to assist in removing, crawl away to some convenient crevice, or burrow in the ground, and turn to egg-shaped pupa, which

look more like seeds than living animals. After a few days they burst their shell, and come forth as fully developed flies; or, if the season is late, they remain unchanged during the winter, and emerge when warm. weather returns.

The different-sized flies are not young and old, as some suppose, but different varieties. The house-fly is a domestic insect, and is said never to be found except in the vicinity of man's present or recent habitation.

The saw-fly is also an interesting object for the microscope. It is quite unlike the common-fly, and belongs to a different order of insects. There are several varieties, but the green and striped saw-flies are most common. The former may be found late in summer amid the grass, the latter on the twigs and leaves of bushes and trees, especially on peach-trees and blackberry bushes. They are a sluggish insect, fly heavily, and do not attempt to escape when touched. Their peculiarity consists in the saws with which the females are provided. These are lodged in a slit under the hinder part of the body, and are covered by two narrow scabbard-like pieces. They are hinged so that they may be withdrawn from their sheath, and moved up and down when in use. The different varieties of flies have saws of different patterns, but they generally curve upward and taper toward the end, and are toothed along the convex edges. Each of the saws is provided with a back to steady it; but unlike the carpenter's saw, the blade is separated from the back, and slides upon it. Each saw also is covered on one side with transverse rows of fine teeth, giving it the power of a rasp as well as a saw. With these curious and ingeniously contrived tools the fly cuts narrow slits in leaves and fruit and the tender bark of twigs, for the purpose of depositing therein its eggs.

It is worthy of special notice that each fly has a pair of saws running side by side—a hint from nature, the founder of all mechanical science, to our mechanics and inventors.

GRAMMAR-SCHOOLS OF ENGLAND.-The oldest grammar-schools in England, to which positive date can be ascribed, are those of Watton-underEdge, founded in 1384; Grinston in Norfolk, 1394; Owestry, 1408; and the Free Grammar-school at Enfield, Middlesex, 1418. Doubtless, there are many older schools of the class, but their dates are unknown. That of St. John's, Huntington, is said to have been founded in the time of Henry II., by David, earl of Huntington. Those founded before the end of the fifteenth century are, besides the above, those at Higham Ferris, 1422; Seven Oaks, 1432; Ewelme, Oxford, 1436; Wye, Kent, 1447; Magdalen College School, 1480; Brackley, 1483; Reading, 1486; Hall, 1486; Stockport, 1487; Chipping Campden, 1487; Wimborne Minster, 1491; Sudbury, 1491; Loughborough, 1495; Chichester Prebendal School, before 1497, and Crewkerme, 1499.

MILITARY DRILL FOR SCHOOLS OF ALL KINDS.

I.

MAJOR R. was conversing with the principal of a flourishing boarding. school on the introduction of the military system. The principal said, "I should like to make the trial, but I can not afford the expense this year. We might use wooden guns." The major smiled. "Why, Mr. S., the guns are the very last thing. The really practical part of the system does not require arms." Many consider the military system in schools a puerile imitation of the "pride, pomp, etc."-a rather expensive amusement, but well enough if it does not interfere too much with study. They never think that it can be of use in the management of schools, in maintaining good order and discipline, in teaching boys how to stand and how to walk, and in forming habits of attention and prompt obedience. The greatest advantages of drill can be secured without uniforms or There are two distinct ends to be attained in drilling infantry soldiers; the first, readiness and skill in the use of weapons; the second, promptness and regularity in marching and maneuvering; and this last, even in warfare, is the most important. It is the marching part of the tactics which can best be made useful in the school. This is the embodiment of long experience in devising means for causing the movements of bodies of men to be executed simultaneously, regularly, and with the least fatigue; and prejudice against it as being military should not prevent its adoption in schools.

arms.

The instructions we shall give can be used in every kind of boys' school, from the primary to the highest grade.

THE RUDIMENTS OF INFANTRY TACTICS.

First teach your pupil the habit of standing motionless in a position in which he is ready for any movement, and the habit of giving his whole attention to you. His position should be corrected gradually; but from the very first, the strictest attention should be insisted upon. This can be secured best by an animated tone in the teacher, by skillfully varying the exercises, and by rewarding faithful attention with frequent rests. When a movement is badly executed, reserve it till the end of the drill, then cause it to be executed again and again, dismissing each as soon as he performs it properly. Above all, do not make the drill too long.

Arrange your boys in one rank-that is, side by side, at a distance of a pace. Tell them to straighten themselves up and draw their heels together till they touch. "Look at your feet, and turn out your toes like the letter V. Now, take a last look, for you will never be allowed to see them again on drill. Throw your shoulders back and your chest out.

Keep your palms turned a little forward. The hands should hang easily, but well back, not in front of you. Stiffen your knees. Look straight to the front. Now lean forward the upper part of your body till you can easily raise your heels from the floor. That's right. You have done so well that I will not explain the next order-REST." After a few seconds of relaxation, tell the class to take the position again at once, and without looking down. Tell them that this attitude is called that of attention, and that the order for it is, "Atten-t-i-o-n - - - - SQUAD." The first word is a warning; and, by the time the second is pronounced, every one must be in his place, in the correct position, and motionless. When the order "REST" is given, they must not leave their places, but may change their position, and may talk. Practice these two commands several times.

Next teach the facings. To face to the right or left, turn a quarter of a circle entirely on the left heel as a pivot, raising the toe slightly. The right foot is also kept clear of the ground, the first impulse of the facing being given by the right toe. With stupid or awkward boys commence in this way: Show them that they can stand steadily on the left foot with the right raised slightly; then, that they can balance on both heels; and at last, that it is possible to stand for an instant on one heel with the toe of the same foot and the whole of the other foot raised. The commands for these facings are, if a squad is addressed, "Squad, right - - - - FACE," and "Squad, left Caution the squad that at the first two words nothing is to be done; but they are to think which way to turn. See that each one knows his right hand from his left. In obstinate cases, make the boy who can not tell his right hand hold it up during the drill.

FACE."

A word here about giving commands. Commands are printed in two parts, called the preparatory command and the word of execution. The former only indicates the movement, the latter the instant it is to commence. The words of preparation are spoken distinctly; that of execu tion, forcibly. There should be a sufficient interval between them to count three deliberately. The preparatory command must be given just as it is written; and it must be so framed that there will be no doubt as to what the next word will be. For example, do not say, "Right - FACE," as many do, but, "Squad (company or battalion), right FACE." There is another command, "Right ---- DRESS ;" and if no distinction is made, the squad, instead of being fully prepared to obey, will not know what to do till they hear the remaining word. The result will be great unsteadiness. Again, suppose the executive syllable to be indistinctly pronounced, as must frequently be the case; if the prefatory command is ambiguous, confusion must result. Remember that "Right ---- DRESS," and " Company, right - - - - FACE," are correct; "Right - FACE," and " Company, right DRESS," are incorrect.

The command" Attention," which is given after a rest, is uttered loudly, dwelling on the last syllable, and is always followed by the designation of

--

the body addressed, thus: " Atten-t-i-o-n SQUAD," or, "Atten-t-i-o-n - - BATTALION." This command is uttered with the falling inflection; all others with the rising.

Of course, the teacher will exemplify each movement before causing it to be executed by his class. Face them several times to the right, coming back at last to the original front; then in the same manner to the left, and, lastly, intermix the two till the boys know them so well that you cannot "catch 'em."

A "rest" will now be in order.

We have one more "face" to learn the "about-face." It is a halfcircle to the right on both heels. The command is, "Squad, aboutFACE." The "about" is not a word of preparation alone, but of execution. The position of the feet is changed. The left foot is turned on the heel so as to point the toe to the front, the right is raised a little and placed behind the left, at right angles with it, like a letter T, the top being the right foot. At the command "FACE," turn on both heels; the right foot will be a little in advance of the other, and must be drawn back. An exercise on all three of the facings combined may next be given, after which we will proceed immediately to marching, which of course has been promised as a reward for attention.

In marching we must consider, first, time; second, direction; third, length of step. There are three rates of speed or kinds of time used in our system of drill-common time, which might more appropriately be called slow time, of 90 steps per minute; quick time, of 110; and doublequick, from 140 to 180. Quick time is the one generally used in marching; when no rate is mentioned, this is the one meant. Common time is a slow rate, employed exceptionally, as in teaching the step. Double-quick time is a slow run or trot, used when an extraordinary rate of speed is required. Direction of step in its variations forms maneuvers; in the elementary drill, it is in a straight line. The length of step must, of course, be uniform. For men, it is fixed (in quick and common time) at twentyeight inches. For boys, it is difficult to make a standard. The greatest difficulty, in fact, experienced in drilling boys is to make them take steps of equal length. Twenty-three inches is perhaps a fair average for an ordinary class of boys. In a school where none are more than twelve years of age, twenty inches might be long enough.

Commence instruction in marching, or, in other words, teaching the boys to walk, by taking one step at a time. At the word "Left," the left foot will be carried forward one pace; at the word "Right," the right foot; and so on alternately, pausing at each step till the body is perfeetly steady. The body must not deviate from its position at "Attention;" the shoulders must be kept square, the toe must be turned out, the foot straightened so that the toe is as nearly as possible in the direction of the leg; it must be carried close to the ground and planted flat.