eateth grass as an ox, he moveth his tail like a cedar, his bones are like bars of iron. The willows of the brook compass him about. Behold he drinketh up a river, he thinketh to draw up Jordan into his mouth.

RHINOCEROS.

Where is the rhinoceros found?

Near the large

rivers of Asia and Africa. It prefers marshy grounds, where it can roll itself in the mud.

How large is it? It is about 12 feet in length, and 12 feet round the body.

How does it appear? It is covered with a very hard dark skin, its head is shaped like that of a swine, and has a hard solid horn upon the nose, with which it defends itself.

Is it disposed to fight? It will not hurt any one, who does not trouble it, and whenever it is angry, it can be pacified by giving it something to eat.

Are animals of this species fond of eating? They are, and eat a great deal, but will not eat anything except vegetables.

What noise do they make? They bleat like a calf when they want food.

Are they of any use to mankind? They are not, but are very hurtful, by devouring fields of grain, and plantations of sugar-cane.

Are they fond of eating sugar-cane? They are, and sugar also.

PORCUPINE.

What can you tell me about porcupines? Porcupine are small animals covered with very sharp quills. Do they hurt people with their quills? They are not disposed to hurt any one. But if persons, or other animals, try to catch them, they will run and put their heads into some secure place, and if any one takes hold of their bodies, the sharp quills will pierce him.

Are these animals of any use? Their flesh is some

times eaten, and the Indians use their quills, in making

What kind of animals are the crocodiles? They are large amphibious animals.

What is their shape? They are shaped some like a fish, but have four legs, the two forward legs resemble the arms and hands of a man.

How large are they? They are sometimes thirty feet in length and four feet round the body.

Are they hurtful? They are a most dreadful animal; they kill and eat every creature that comes near them. All animals are afraid of them.

How do they catch men and animals? They go on land and lie down very still, appearing like a log of wood, so that persons and animals sometimes go near them, without knowing it, and are taken by the crocodiles into their great mouths in a moment.

Where do these animals live? In the great rivers of South America and Africa.

Are they numerous? There are many of them in those countries, and there would be many more, if other animals did not eat their eggs and young.

SEA OTTER.

It is an am

What can you tell me of the sea otter? phibious animal found on the northern coasts of the Pacific Ocean.

How large is it? It is about four feet long, and some otters will weigh eighty pounds.

What is its shape? It has a long body, short legs, and has a mouth like the fishes.

What does it feed upon? It feeds upon fish, and destroys great quantities of them.

Is it a harmless animal? It is; men have sometimes tamed the otter, and employed it to catch fish for them.

Is it remarkably fond of its young? It is, and as it has but one at a time, will carry it about in its paws, and

when it is in the water it will swim upon its back and carry its young.

How is it affected with the loss of its young? If its young is taken away or destroyed, it will pine to death on the spot where it was taken away.

For what is the otter most valued? For its beautiful fur, which the Russians sell to the Chinese for a great price.

What is their fur? It is very fine, thick set, and of a shining black color.

What use is made of its fur in this country? Gentlemen's caps are made of it, and collars are lined with it.

Is there more than one kind of otter? There is a smaller kind, which is found in South America, in the marshes of Guiana, which are very numerous.

What is the color of this kind of otter? Their fur is a deep brown, thick set, fine and glossy.

SEAL.

What kind of animals are seals? They are amphibi

ous.

How large are they? They are five or six feet in length.

Where do they live? In the northern seas of Europe, Asia and America.

When do they come out of the water? When the sun shines, thousands of them climb up and lie upon the rocks.

Do they teach their young ones to swim? They take them into the water when they are very young, and teach them to swim. If the little ones become tired, the old ones carry them on their backs.

Are they harmless? They are. Men can tame them, and when tamed they come as readily as a dog when called by name.

What use is made of seals? Their skins which have short, and shining hair, are used to cover trunks; they are also made into leather for shoes.

Are they of any other use? Their flesh is sometimes

eaten, but they are more useful for the oil, which may be taken from them.

How much oil may be taken from one seal? Eight gallons.

WHALE.

How large is the whale? It is seventy feet in length; it is the largest animal in the world.

Where is it found? In the northern oceans.

How do men kill this great fish? They sail out from the ship in boats as near it as they can, and then dart harpoons into it, and kill it.

It

Will not the fish swim away when it is wounded? will, but the men who kill it have a long rope tied to the harpoons, which they fasten to the ship.

Why do they kill the whale? They kill it to procure its oil.

How much oil is sometimes taken out of one whale? One hundred barrels. Eight or ten barrels of blubber oil are also taken from its tongue.

What use do we make of oil? We burn it in lamps to light our houses, when the light of the sun is gone from us.

Is the spermaceti whale as large? No, it is not so large and has not so much oil in it, but it is the most valuable, because spermaceti can be procured from its head.

How much spermaceti can be obtained from one whale's head? Sixteen barrels.

What is the use of spermaceti? Candles are made of it, which are very white and transparent, and give a pure light.

Is this whale more terrific than the other kind? It is; its mouth is so large that it can swallow an ox.

Do these monsters of the deep obey the voice of God? The whale swallowed Jonah at God's command, and at God's command it placed him upon the dry land. Whales in the sea, God's voice obey.

CODFISH..

Where is the codfish found?

The most of them are

caught on the banks of Newfoundland.

What are these banks? They appear to be the tops of vast mountains which rise from the bottom of the ocean, almost to its surface, extending more than 500 miles.

What are these banks called? One is called Grand Bank, the other is called Green Bank.

Are the fish very numerous on these banks? They are so numerous, that hundreds of ships with thousands of men, are employed in taking them.

How do fishermen catch them? With a hook and line.

What is done with the fish when they are caught? They are salted and put on the shore to dry. When they are dried, they are put into ships which carry them to distant countries to be sold.

In what months are they caught? From February to May.

If so many ships are employed in carrying them off, will they not soon all be gone? They increase as fast as they are destroyed; one fish has been found to have more than nine millions of eggs.

What is the kind of animals called which have wings and fly? Volatiles.

He does.

Does the cock belong to this race? Where does he live? He is a tame fowl and lives in farmers' yards.

He is very bold.

For what is he remarkable? What is there very pleasant in the cock? He comes early from his roost and crows, loudly about the farmer's house, as though he wished to wake him from his sleep, to see the beauties of the morning.

Of what use are cocks and hens? They are very delicate meat when killed, and hens lay a great many eggs.