BUFF SAYS BUFF TO ALL HIS MEN.

This game, like many others, is merely a way of collecting forfeits. The company are seated in a circle; one holds a little stick in her hand, and says,

"Buff says buff to all his men,

And I say buff to you again;
Buff neither laughs nor smiles—
But carries his face

With a very good grace,

And passes his stick to the very next place."

As she concludes, she holds the stick to the one next her, who takes it, and repeats the same; and so on, in succession. Those who laugh or smile, while saying it, must pay a forfeit.

WHO WILL BUY A BIRD'S NEST?

In this play it is of no consequence how the company are seated. One goes round and asks, "Who buys my bird's

nest *"

If any one answers, "I will," she says, "What will you give for it V The answers given will be various—some will give a straw, others a sugar-plum, others a cent, &c. After all have told what they will give for the bird's nest, the seller has a right to ask each one six questions, which they must answer without laughing, or pay a forfeit. These questions may be made as ridiculous as possible, but they ought to relate either to the bird's nest, or the price that is offered for it; such as, "What shall I do with a straw ?" "Shall I keep

it to suck cider ?"

"Shall I make a mouse's bonnet of it?"

The nest of a Tailor-Bird-so called because she sews .eaves together with

strong grass.

THE SHEPHERD AND THE WOLF.

The company stand in a file, holding by each other's dres ses, and are called lambs; one little girl at the head is called the shepherdess; one stands outside, and is called the wolf. As the latter walks round, the shepherdess calls out, "Who is round my house this dark night?" The one on the outside answers, "A wolf! a wolf!" The shepherdess says, "Let my lambs alone." The wolf answers, "There is one little one I will take," at the same time trying to take away the little girl at the bottom of the file. The shepherdess springs forward to stop her; the lambs all follow the motion of the shepherdess; the wolf tries to profit by the general confusion—she pretends to jump to the left, and then suddenly darts to the right. If any one gets caught, she must pay a forfeit. Sometimes one gets caught, and slips away; in that case she must run and place herself before the shepherdess for safety. When this happens, she must take upon herself the troublesome employment of the shepherdess; the wolf, likewise, loses her place, and pays a forfeit. The last lamb in the file takes the place of the wolf.

THE CAT AND THE MOUSE.

All the company stand hand in hand, in a circle; one is placed inside, called the mouse; another outside, called the cat. They begin by turning round rapidly, raising their arms; the cat springs in at one side, and the mouse jumps out at the other; they then suddenly lower their arms, so that the cat cannot escape. The cat goes round mi-au-ing, trying to get out and as the circle are obliged to keep dancing round all the time, she will find a weak place to break through, if she is a sharp-sighted cat. As soon as she gets out, she chases the mouse, who tries to save herself by getting within the circle again. For this purpose, they raise their arms; if she gets in without being followed by the cat, the cat must pay a forfeit, and try again; but if the mouse is caught, she must pay a forfeit. Then they name who shall succeed them; they fall into the circle, and the game goes on.

OLD MAN IN HIS CASTLE.

A Line is drawn on the floor, or a large crack chosen as a boundary; one stands on one side of the line, and all the others are ranged on the opposite side. By and by, one ventures over, and asks, "May I have some of your apples, old man?" The moment the line is crossed, he darts forward

If he can catch the cul

exclaiming, "Go off my grounds!" prit on his own grounds, she is obliged to take his place; but he has no right to go over the line in the pursuit. Sometimes three or four intruders will be in at once. Children vary the questions as they please: sometimes they ask for cherries, or birds, or hay, or blackberries.

HUNT THE SQUIRREL.

that

ALL the company, except one, form into a circle, one remains outside, walking round and round with a handkerchief in her hand. Presently she drops it; and the one at whose feet it falls must dart forward to catch the squirrel that has dropped the handkerchief. While running, she must sing, "Hunt the squirrel through the wood! Now I've lost him— now I've found him! Hunt the squirrel through the wood!' If the game is played well, it is very lively and amusing. The little girls all keep an eye upon the squirrel, as she walks round, eager to see where the handkerchief will fall; but if she is cunning, she will try to drop it behind some one who is least on the watch, in order that she may have time to get the start in the chase. While running, the squirrel zig-zags in all manner of directions, dodging in and dodging out, so as to puzzle her pursuer as much as she can. When caught, the pursuer becomes the squirrel.