thing was wrong: we found him at the bottom of his prison, with his feathers ruffled, and nearly all turned back. He was taken out, and for some time he lingered, amidst convulsions, and occasional brightenings up: at length he drew his last gasp; and will it be belived that tears were shed on his demise? The fact is, that the apparent intelligence of his character, the speculation in his eye, the assiduity of his labour, and his most extraordinary fearlessness and familiarity, though coupled with fierceness, gave us a consideration for him that may appear ridiculous to those who have never so nearly observed the ways of an animal as to feel interested in its fate. With us it was different.

"Since our poor nuthatch died, I have observed that White in his charming work on the Natural History of Selborne, states, that the knocking of the nuthatch may be heard at the distance of a furlong; and that he has frequently placed nuts in the joints of a gate for this bird, which were quickly penetrated by his beak, and the kernal extracted. The beak is uncommonly large and strong for so small a bird."

The smallest of British birds, the golded crested wren, (Sylvia regulus) is now more easily discovered than any other bird.

Aloft in mazy course the golden wren
Sports on the boughs.

Gisborne.

It is so extremely timid, that by striking the bough upon which it is sitting, sharply with a stick or stone, it immediately falls to the ground, and generally dead. White says, "it will stand unconcerned till you come within three or four yards of it."

The red-breast (motacila rubecula) at this season is peculiarly fond of the habitation of man, and

unless the weather is extremely cold, even cheers the wintry gloom with his song.

'Dear little tenant of the flowery grove,
Sweet warbler at my frost-embroidered pane,
When winter rules despotic hill and plain,
And hushed the feather'd suitor's lay of love,
And wand'ring minstrels seek more genial clime ;
Come, sweetest bird, that little heeds the storm,
And perched near lonely cottage casement warm,
Full blithely sings, scorning the iron time,-
Come, with thy sparkling eye of purest ray,
And throat that might Virginia's songsters dare
With her's its brilliant plumage to compare :
Come, cheer the wintry as the summer day,
And like a faithful friend, be thine to bless
When sunbeams dazzle, or when clouds oppress.'

There are many insects to be found at this season. Gnats are often seen sporting in the winter's sun, and winter moths and bay shouldered button-moths are at times seen. Birds are often accused of destroying the buds of trees, because they are often found nibbling about them. It is not the buds however, but the insects frequenting them, of which they are in search.

There are some animals peculiarly adapted for this season; the rein-deer is one of these. The traveller from Norway or Sweden may proceed with ease and safety even beyond the polar circle, but when he enters Finmark he cannot stir without the rein-deer; and with his faithful servant the Finmark dealer may travel from his native wilds, to dispose of his produce in the market of Tornea and Stockholm. The rein-deer alone connects two extremities of a kingdom; and without him, the comforts and knowledge of civilized life could never be extended over those countries, which, during a great part of the year, are cut off from all other communication with the other portions of mankind. There is a portrait of a rein-deer in the palace of Drotning

holm, Sweden, which is represented upon an occasion of emergency, to have drawn an officer with important dispatches, the incredible distance of 800 English miles in 48 hours. This was in 1699, and tradition says, the animal dropped down lifeless on its arrival.-De Broke's winter in Lapland.

WINTER. -A SONNET.

The wind howls loud, the snow is on the ground,
The icy river has forgot to flow;

On leafless boughs no shelter can be found

Where the poor starving feathered race can go.

The timid robin to the window flies,

And begs some crumbs to save him from death's doom, As round the fire the happy circle hies

To dissipate with mirth drear winter's gloom:

'Tis then we feel the blest delights of home,

And for the friendless wanderer shed a tear,

Who's doom'd unsheltered through this world to roam,
Devoid of even hope his days to cheer:

How ought our thanks great God! ascend to thee,
Who from such earthly misery keeps us free.

Frederick Tyrrell,

FEBRUARY.

THE name of this month has given rise to long etymological contests; but it was probably derived from Februa, a name of Juno, who was presumed to preside over the diseases of females. Numa placed it under the patronage of Neptune, the supposed adviser of carrying off the Sabine women. It was called by the Saxons, the Sprout Kele, and subsequently the Sol Monath, from the return of the Sun, then entering on the sign of the Fishes.

Remarkable Days.

2.-PURIFICATION OF THE VIRGIN MARY. This is also called Candlemas Day. It is a festival of high antiquity among Christians, and is still observed with great pomp by the Church of Rome; being in commemoration of the presentation of Christ in the Temple, and Purification of the Blessed Virgin.

2.-1829.-YORK MINSTER BURNT.

On this day the interior of that stupendous monument of past ages, York Minster, was nearly destroyed by fire. About half past two o'clock, an incendiary named Jonathan Martin, who had concealed himself behind a tomb, during service in the afternoon, set fire to that sacred pile, by collecting the clergymen's and singers' surplices, &c., and, after placing them in a heap in the vestry room, set fire to them, by means of a flint and steel he carried in his pocket. Having seen the flames faintly take hold of the elegant tabernacle woodwork by which the choir is surrounded, he made his escape through a window in the north transept, by means of a piece of rope cut from the one attached to the prayer-bell. The fire was not discovered till seven o'clock the next morning; when the flames had extended themselves so widely, that in a short time the roof fell in and the whole of the choir and chancel resembled an immense furnace, and continued burning for hours after. The length of roof destroyed was 222 feet, including the noble organ and communion plate. The flames were arrested in their further progress by means of sawing away the burning rafters. The damage done, amounted to about £80,000. The rope by which Martin escaped being left suspended from the window, led to an enquiry, which terminated in his apprehension, near Hexham, the following Friday. He had formerly been a sailor, but lately subsisted by selling a pamphlet of his own life. He confessed to having set fire to the cathedral, in consequence of two remarkable dreams, from which he fancied he was to do it. Being afterwards tried and acquitted on the ground of insanity, he was sentenced to end his days in the Criminal Lunatic Asylum, Saint George's Fields, London.