tty severely in his
circumstances from an informer that lived opposite him. This bird was
taught to pronounce the ninth commandment,--'Thou shalt not bear false
witness against thy neighbor,' with a very clear, loud, articulate
voice. The bird was generally placed in a cage over against the
informer's house, and delighted the whole neighborhood with its
persevering exhortations."

Some years since, a parrot in Boston, that had been taught to whistle
in the manner of calling a dog, was sitting in his cage at the door of
a shop. As he was exercising himself in this kind of whistle, a large
dog happened to be passing the spot; the animal, imagining that he
heard the call of his master, turned suddenly about, and ran towards
the cage of the parrot. At this critical moment, the bird exclaimed
vehemently, "Get out, you brute!" The astonished dog hastily retreated,
leaving the parrot to enjoy the joke.

ORDER IV.

GALLINACEA,

RESEMBLING THE DOMESTIC HEN.

THE COCK.

The domestic cock is the origin of all the varieties of the domestic
fowl, and is supposed to have come originally from Asia. It was brought
to America by the first settlers.

_Miscellaneous Anecdotes._--A short time since, a farmer in Ohio heard
loud talking and angry words among his fowls, and, being a man of
pacific disposition, bent his course towards the scene of cackling and
confusion. Arrived in the vicinity, he observed his favorite cock
engaged in mortal combat with a striped snake, dealing his blows with
bill and spurs in quick succession, and with true pugilistic skill. But
the wily serpent, well aware that, in order to beat his powerful
antagonist, he must use cunning, seized him by the thigh in the rear.
Thus situated, the cock rose on his wings, and lighted on an
apple-tree, the snake keeping fast hold, and dangling down like a
taglock. It then coiled its tail round a branch of the tree. The cock
tried again to escape, but, not being able to disengage himself, hung
with his head down. In this melancholy situation he was found by the
farmer, who instantly killed the snake, and set chanticleer at liberty.

The following is a remarkable instance of the degree to which the
natural apprehension for her brood may be overcome, in the hen, by the
habit of nursing ducks. A hen, who had reared three broods of ducks in
three successive years, became habituated to their taking the water,
and would fly to a large stone in the middle of the pond