heavier

In the

In all these cases, it is the weight of the air that produces the effect. In the sucker, when the leather is pressed firmly on the stone, all the air between itself and the stone is forced out. The air pressing on the outside of the sucker is than the stone, and so the stone is lifted. ink-bottle, the whole air is drawn out of it by the suction of the lips, and then the air on the outside of it, being heavier than the ink-bottle, keeps it hanging on the cheek. Various experiments have shown that air presses upon every square inch of surface with a weight of fifteen pounds.

The barometer, which is now a very common instrument, and may be seen in almost every house, works on exactly the same principle as a boy's sucker.

A metal, called mercury, is put into a glass tube, closed at the one end and open at the other. The weight of the air holds the mercury up in the tube. Sometimes the air is heavier than at other times. The heavier the air is, the higher will the mercury stand in the tube; the lighter the air is, the lower will the mercury stand in the tube.

In good weather the mercury always stands high, because then the air is heavier than in bad weather; and so you will hear people say, "We are going to have good weather, for the glass is rising." Before rain, and the approach of bad weather, the air becomes lighter, and so people

say, "We are sure to have bad weather, for the glass is falling." The mercury does not often rise or fall suddenly; but whenever it does fall suddenly, we may be certain of a sudden change of weather.

The barometer is of great use to all who have to depend on the weather; but to none is it of so much use as the sailor. By watching the rise or fall of the mercury, he can tell pretty accurately what sort of weather to expect, and particularly if it begins to fall suddenly, he knows that a storm is at hand. Many a good ship has been saved from ruin by this little instrument.

People living in the country, who have no barometer, can frequently tell pretty correctly the kind of weather that may be expected. This they are enabled to do from having long watched the signs that show a change in the weather. If seagulls, and other birds that frequent the shore, are seen flying over the land, this is taken as a sign of bad weather, and generally it is so. In stormy weather, these birds cannot catch fish, and so they go inland, because earth-worms come up on the land, when the rain falls. Again, when birds that migrate to this country in winter, make their appearance early, we may expect a severe winter; because it shows that unfavourable weather has set in in the countries from which these birds come, and that they have taken an early flight to escape it.

QUESTIONS:-1. How does a boy's sucker lift a stone? 2. Why can an ink-bottle be fixed on the cheek? 3. How can a tumbler filled with water be turned upside down without spilling? 4. What very useful instrument depends on the weight of the air? 5. How much pressure does the air exert? 6. What is a square inch? 7. What causes the mercury to rise or fall? 8. In what kind of weather is the air heaviest? 9. What is meant by the "glass rising," or the "glass falling"? 10. To whom is the barometer useful? 11. Of what use is the barometer to sailors?

LITTLE Dick was as blithe, cheerful a fellow as you ever saw. He used to go singing and whistling about nearly all the day.

One day he thought he would have a ramble in a large forest at some distance from his home. He had often before been along its edges; but it looked so dark, he was afraid to enter. But Dick on this day was more merry than usual, for the sun shone bright and the flowers looked lovely; and so he sang and whistled till he made the woods ring again. He amused himself for some time among the trees and flowers, and at last he wandered far into the forest and was charmed with everything

he saw.

A clear brook ran through the wood, and the water looked so pure that Dicky, being very thirsty, stooped down to drink. But just at that moment he was seized from behind, and found

himself in the hands of a great, tall, fierce-looking giant, a hundred times as big as himself, for Dick was not much larger than the giant's thumb. The giant put him into a large bag and carried him off. The poor little prisoner tried all he could to get out, but it was in vain.

At last the giant came to his house, when he took Dick out of the bag, and, taking him by the body, gave him such a squeeze as to put him in great pain. He then threw him into a prison which he had prepared for him. It was almost dark, and had iron bars all round it to prevent him getting out. Dick dashed himself backward and forward in his prison, and beat his head against the iron bars. The giant gave him a piece of dry bread and water, and left him.

The next day the giant came and looked and found that Dick had eaten no bread, so he took him by the head and crammed some of it down his throat, and seemed quite vexed to think he would not eat. Poor Dick was too frightened to eat or drink. He was left all alone in the dark another day; and a sad day it was. At the thought of his own home, his companions, the sunlight, the trees, and the many nice things he used to eat, the poor creature screamed and tried to get through the bars, and he hurt his head and limbs sorely in trying to get out.

The giant came again and wanted Dick to sing as he sung when at home. Sing, sing, sing!"

said he. But poor Dick was much too sad to sing. A prison is no place to sing songs in. The giant seemed now quite in a rage, and took Dick out to make him sing. Dick gave a loud scream, a plunge, a struggle, and sank dead in the giant's hand.

Does this seem a strange story? Alas! it is often too true. Dick was a little bird, and the giant was a cruel boy. Nothing is more cruel, and nothing is more cowardly than to inflict pain on creatures so unable to defend themselves. A manly boy will always take pride in helping the weak and defenceless.

QUESTIONS:-1. What sort of a fellow was little Dick? 2. How did he spend his time? 3. What tempted him to wander into the forest? 4. What was he doing when he was seized? 5. Who seized him? 6. Where did the giant first put him? 7. When the giant got home, where did he put him? 8. What did Dick do in his prison? 9. How did the giant try to make him eat? 10. What did the giant do when Dick would not sing? 11. Who was Dick ? 12. Who was the giant? 13. Who is the truly manly boy?

HAVE you ever thought how wonderfully birds are

suited to the kind of life which they live? I