rapidity. Dogs are employed for the same purpose by the Esquimaux; the only difficulty with them is, that, as they are scantily fed, they are always on

the look-out for provisions, and hence, when in harness, will rush out of the road, whirling after them the sledge and its occupants, in pursuit of prey that may afford a meal.

SNOW-MAN.-To make a good snow-man, a little artistic skill is

required. For the body, make a long bolster of snow, and roll it over and over till it has attained the requisite size. For the legs and arms, smaller bolsters of the same kind must be made, and neatly joined together at the knees and elbows. But it is the head that will call the powers of the snow-man sculptor really into play. After rolling the ball that is to represent it to a requisite size, the features should be carefully carved out with a piece of pointed stick-a proceeding far preferable to the usual method of sticking on a nose, and putting black pebbles for eyes, and making a slit for a mouth, after the figure has been finished; a totally unartistic proceeding, unworthy of the polished taste of the present century. We have frequently seen snow-men, on the Continent, ten or twelve feet high, and quite as handsome as the statue of the Duke of Wellington over the arch in Piccadilly. When they are to be made on this colossal scale, they are, of course, put together in a horizontal position, and afterwards raised to their feet by means of cords flung round them; a mound of snow being then piled round them, for the double purpose of keeping them steady in their upright position and of preventing the danger of chilblains, from the cold getting to their toes. The general fate of these snow-men is, that they fall victims to the chances of war, being set up as cockshys by their constructors; but they never complain, though they have frequently been known to melt into tears, especially if the sun look pityingly down upon their silent endurance.

The winter sport called Curling is much practised in the southern and western parts of Scotland. It is played on the ice with circular stones, about nine inches in diameter, the full size, flat on the under side, and having on the upper side a handle, with which the stone is bowled or hurled along the ice. It is a fine athletic sport for stalwart North Britons, but cannot well be practised by boys. The throwing requires great strength, as well as skill. It is usual for the players to wear spiked straps, called "crampets," that they may stand firm while hurling their stones. There is a regular Curling Club, with a code of laws and regulations to be observed by all following the noble sport.

Golf playing on the ice, with balls and hooked sticks, is another winter amusement in some parts of Scotland; but it is a pastime more suitable for men than boys, being too rough and dangerous in its nature to be indulged in by the majority of our young friends.

BOTH chess and draughts are very ancient games, so that it is impossible to ascertain with certainty when they first came into play. There is an old Egyptian caricature in which the lion and the unicorn are seen playing at a game which resembles both chess and draughts; the poor unicorn has lost, and is looking very much surprised and disconcerted, while the lion is sweeping the board, evidently on the very best of terms with himself. Chess is known to have been played by the Greeks-perhaps it was played by Nimrod in his leisure moments; who shall say? It was known in India at a very early date, and, according to some authorities, Ravan, king of Ceylon, was its inventor. He was besieged, it is said, in a strong fortress, and amused himself during his leisure with devising this game, in which he mimicked the movements of his enemies. Other authorities attribute the invention to the Chinese (Chin-chin-chop, or "any other man"), invented for the diversion of troops disposed for mutiny. Both in India and China it is a favourite game, and so it is in Persia. The resemblance to the English Chess is very close; the queen, however, is usually regarded as prime minister, and the two are not incompatible; the bishops in India are elephants, in France they are fools; we English, however, stick to the episcopate. In the Indian game there is sometimes this difference from our own-the king is not permitted to move beyond a certain fortress, and the elephants-answering to our bishops-are not allowed to cross a certain line of squares, known as a river, and which the Pachydermata could not be supposed capable of fording.

THE PIECES.

But chess, wherever played, or under whatever circumstances, is still chess, and the same principles are taught-moral principles, we mean-which makes it not only an interesting pastime, but calls into action several very valuable qualities of the mind, useful in the course of human life. Benjamin Franklin points out these valuable lessons in some such words as these:

"First, foresight, which looks a little into futurity, and considers the consequences which may attend an action, as it is continually occurring to the player. 'If I move this piece, what will be the advantage of my new situation? what use can my adversary make of it to annoy me? what other moves can I

make to support it, and to defend myself from his attack?' Second, the circumspection which surveys the whole chess-board, or scene of action, and the relation of the several pieces, and considers the dangers they are respectively exposed to, the several possibilities of aiding each other, the probability that the adversary may take this or that move, and take this or the other piece, and what different means can be used to avoid his stroke, or turn its consequences against him. Third, caution not to make our moves too hastily. This habit is best acquired by observing strictly the laws of the game, such as, if you touch a piece you must move it somewhere; if you set it down you must let it stand; and it is therefore best that these rules be observed, as the game thereby becomes so much the more like human life, and particularly of war, in which, if you have incautiously put yourself into a bad or dangerous position, you cannot obtain your enemy's leave to withdraw your troops, and place them in more security, but must abide the consequences of your folly."

Chess is essentially a game of skill. The players, so far as pieces and position are concerned, are equally matched, and the issue depends not on any chance or hazard, but simply on the manner in which the pieces are moved. A great many books have been written, some of them exceedingly heavy in all senses of that word, and so overladen with examples, that the student would feel inclined to make an example of the author. One of the first books printed in England was a book on chess, which may be seen in the British Museum, illustrated with cuts in the first style of art. But practice is better than any book, old or new, and it is only by practice that any one can ever become a skilful player. There are many players so skilful that they can play blindfold; can sustain three or four games at the same time, the moves of their various adversaries being simply mentioned. These men must have a very clear mental vision of the board, and a very excellent memory. Clever players, pretty equally matched, will manage to keep up a game of chess for a very long time. We have heard of a game which lasted through two lifetimes, begun by the fathers and left unfinished by the sons. We do not suppose our readers would care to carry on a game so long as to make it hereditary, but they must bear in mind that the best players are not those who are the most rapid in their movements, but players who take time to think well what they intend doing before they move a piece.

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Chess.

fo play the game of chess it is necessary that the players should provide chemselves with the board and pieces. A good set of chess men, with a capital board, may be had at a very moderate price.

The game of chess is played on a square board, divided into sixty-four squares, black and white alternately. Here is a representation of an ordinary chess-board:

A white square, it will be observed, is at the right hand of each player. The game is played with thirty-two pieces, each player-no more than two can engage-holding sixteen. These pieces are known in England by the following names :

King, queen, king's bishop, queen's bishop, king's knight, queen's knight, king's castle or rook, queen's castle or rook, and eight pawns or common men, each one supposed to belong to the more exalted pieces, thus-king's pawn, queen's pawn, king's bishop's pawn, queen's bishop's pawn, king's knight's pawn, queen's knight's pawn, king's castle or rook's pawn, queen's castle or rook's pawn.

Both players have the same number and quality of pieces; they are distinguished by colour-white and red, or white and black; the latter are the most common.

Various forms are used for the pieces. Some of these are very elegant, and designed to represent ancient grandees, lay and clerical, chiefly fighting men, and we know that, in old times, bishops could wield swords as well as