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When blood is nipt, and ways be foul
Then nightly sings the staring owl

Tuwhoo!

Tuwhit! tuwhoo! a merry note,
While greasy Joan doth keel the pot.

II.

When all around the wind doth blow,
And coughing drowns the parson's saw,
And birds sit brooding in the snow,
And Marion's nose looks red and raw;
When roasted crabs hiss in the bowl,
Then nightly sings the staring owl

Tuwhoo!

Tuwhit! tuwhoo! a merry note,
While greasy Joan doth keel the pot.

W. Shakspere.

STORY OF CATCHING A LIVE LION.

Many years ago, the people of Doomasansa, a town on the Gambia, were much annoyed by the visit of a lion, which every night preyed upon their cattle. By continuing his robberies, the people were at length so enraged, that a party of them resolved to go out and hunt the monster. They therefore proceeded in search of the common enemy, whom they found concealed in a thicket. They at once fired at him, and were lucky enough to wound him in such a manner, that, in springing from the thicket towards the people, he fell down among the grass, and was unable to rise.

The animal, however, showed such appearance of vigour, that nobody cared to approach him alone; and a discussion was held as to the best means of taking him alive. This plan, it was thought, would not only

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furnish good evidence of the courage of the people, but would have the additional advantage of enabling them to sell the lion to the Europeans, it being resolved to convey him to the coast. While some persons proposed one plan, and some another, an old man suggested the following scheme. "Let us strip," said he, "the roof of a house of its thatch, and carry the bamboo frame (the pieces of which are well secured together), and throw it over the lion. If in approaching him, he should attempt to spring upon us, then we should have nothing to do but let down the roof upon ourselves, and fire at the lion through the rafters.”

The proposition was approved and adopted. The huts in that country were built so lightly that it was easy to uncover them, and remove them in this manner. The thatch was therefore taken from the roof of a hut, and the lion-hunters, bearing the fabric, bravely marched to encounter the lion, each person carrying a gun in one hand, and bearing his share of the roof on the opposite shoulder. In this manner they approached the beast, who had by this time regained his strength; but such was the fierceness of his countenance that the hunters, instead of proceeding any further, thought it prudent to provide for their own safety by covering themselves with the roof.

Unfortunately the lion was too nimble for them; for, making a spring while the roof was setting down, both the beast and his pursuers were caught in the same cage, and the lion devoured them at his leisure, to the great astonishment and dismay of the people of Doomasansa.

As might be expected, this story became the subject of laughter and derision in the neighbouring countries, and nothing will enrage an inhabitant so much as to ask him, "Can you catch a lion alive?"

THE BEAVER.

In the deep recesses of Canadian forests, where the beaver is not disturbed by man, it is a practical example of almost every virtue--laborious, thrifty, frugal, honest, watchful, and ingenious. It is never known, even in the most powerful bodies, to attack parties that are weaker. Whenever a number of these animals come together, they at once form a society to perform the common business of building their houses, acting in the most sensible and regular manner.

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Indians were in the habit of foretelling the mildness or severity of the coming winter, by noticing the quantity of provisions laid in by the beavers for their winter stock. Though they have not, as the bees, any ruler or leader, there are no signs of any quarrels ever taking place among them. When a sufficient number of them are collected to form a town, the public business is first attended to; and as they are amphibious animals (that is, animals which live both in and out of the water), provision has to be made for spending their time in both land and water.

With this view, a lake or pond, or sometimes a running stream, is pitched upon. If it be a lake or pond, the water in it is always deep enough to admit of their swimming under the ice. If it be a stream, it

is always such a stream as will allow a pond to be formed in every way suitable to their purpose. Such is their prudence and foresight, that they never fix upon a situation that will not answer their views.

Their next business is to construct a dam. This is always placed in the most convenient part of the stream. The materials they use in its formation are wood and earth. They choose a tree on the river side,

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which will readily fall across the stream, and some of them apply themselves with diligence to the task of cutting it through with their teeth. Others cut down smaller trees, which they divide into parts, of the length they require. These are dragged to the brink of the river, and a number of beavers swim with them to the place where the dam is being formed.

As many as can find room are employed in sinking one end of these stakes, and as many more in raising, fixing, and securing them in the ground. Others are engaged at the same time in carrying on the plastering part of the work. They make the earth into a kind of mortar with their feet and tails, bring it in their mouths, and spread it between the stakes, raising a mound which will effectually prevent the overflowing of the water.

When two or three hundred beavers are united, these dams are from six to twelve feet thick at the bottom, but not more than two or three feet at the top. In that part of the dam which is opposed to the current, the stakes are placed crossways; but on that side where the water is to fall over, they are placed in an upright direction. These dams are sometimes a hundred feet in length, and are always of the exact height which the beavers require. The ponds thus formed sometimes cover five or six hundred acres. They generally spread over grounds abounding with trees and bushes; and in order to preserve the dams against inundation the beavers always leave sluices near the middle, for the redundant water to pass off.

When the dam is constructed the beavers separate into small companies, and build cabins or houses for themselves. These are built upon piles upon the borders of the pond. They are in shape something

like a beehive, and measure from five to ten feet round them, according to the number of families that they are built for. They are never less than two storeys high, and are sometimes three; and contain occasionally four apartments. The walls of these houses are from two to three feet thick, and are formed of the same materials as the dams. On the inside they are made smooth, but left rough on the outside, so that the rain cannot get through. The lower room is about two feet high; the second is formed by a floor of sticks covered with mud; and the third storey has an arched roof. Through each floor there is a passage, and the highest room is always above the level of the water. Each of these huts has two doorsone on the land side, to admit of their going out and seeking provisions that way; another under the water, and below where it freezes, to enable them to go into the pond when they choose.

No company of people can possibly appear more happy and contented than the beavers. In September they lay up their winter's stock, which consists of bark and the tender twigs of trees. Then commences the season of enjoyment and repose; and throughout the winter they remain within their houses, each one living on the fruits of his own labour, without pilfering from any of the others.

Towards spring they produce their young ones, bringing forth three or four at a birth. Soon after, the male goes forth to gather firs and vegetables, but the female remains at home to nurse and rear up the young. The male returns home at times, but not to settle down until the end of the But if any year. injury should happen to their town, the whole company are rapidly collected together, and they join

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