use he was sawn to death; Thomas with a _lance_, because his
body was pierced with a lance.

The Yule Log.

Who has not heard of the huge log (or clog) of wood that is laid in the
fireplace on Christmas Eve amid great pomp and ceremony? It is lighted
with the brand of last year's log which is always carefully preserved
for the purpose. During the burning of the log there is much
merry-making and songs and dances and telling of stories. It was the
subject of several superstitions. If it did not burn all night that was
looked upon as a misfortune, and if a barefooted or squinting person
came to the house while it was burning that also was a bad omen. The
name Yule carries us back to the far-off ages when the heathen nations
of the North held their annual winter festival in honour of the sun.

The Senses of Bees.

Experiments conducted by Sir John Lubbock seem to show that bees have a
preference for blue flowers. Besides this curious display of a colour
sense, there is some reason to believe that these "busy" insects may
possibly possess in a very rude state the power of hearing. Some bees
were trained to come for honey placed on a musical box, on the lawn
close to a window of the house. The box was made to play several hours
daily for a fortnight; it was then brought indoors out of sight, but
close to the open window, about seven yards from its former position.
The bees did not, however, find the honey, though when it was once shown
to them they came promptly enough.

Abolition of Christmas Day.

On December the 24th, 1652, there appeared in a small gazette called the
_Flying Eagle_ one of the most curious statements ever published in
connection with Christmas Day. It told how the House of Commons had that
day been considering the business of the Navy, and how, before it
separated, it had been presented with a "terrible remonstrance" against
Christmas Day. "In consequence of this," the _Flying Eagle_ went on to
say, "Parliament spent some time in consultation about the abolition of
Christmas Day, passed orders to that effect, and resolved to sit on the
following day, which was commonly called Christmas Day."

The Dancing Bird.

The forests of Nicaragua are the home of a dancing bird, variously
called "Toledo" from its whistling note, and "Bailador," or "Dancer,"
from its curious jumping action. A naturalist has described their
remarkable performances. Upon a bare twig about four feet from the
ground, two