Part 3 (1/2)

WHY?

Why are the blossoms Such different hues?

And the waves of the sea Such a number of blues?

So many soft greens Flit over the trees?

And little gray shadows Fly out on the breeze?

Why are the insects So wondrously fair; Illumining gra.s.ses And painting the air?

You dear little sh.e.l.ls, O, why do you s.h.i.+ne?

And feathery sea-weed Grow fragile and fine?

Why are the meadows Such gardens of grace, With infinite beauty In definite s.p.a.ce?

Each separate gra.s.s A world of delight?

O, food for the cattle, Why are you so bright?

Why are our faces Such lovable things, With lips made for kisses, And laughter that sings?

With eyes full of love, That sparkle and gleam, Through beautiful colors, That change like a dream?

Think for a moment-- Look up to the sky; Question your heart; it Will answer the Why!

Bright is the glitter Of beauty unfurled-- Boundless the love that Has fas.h.i.+oned the world!

BIRDS.

The wisdom of G.o.d is seen in every part of creation, and especially in the different kinds of birds. The beauty displayed in their graceful forms and varied colors strikes every beholder, while the adaptation of their organs for the purposes of flight, their peculiar habits and modes of living, are a constant source of admiration to the student of nature.

Almost everything about the shape of a bird fits it for moving rapidly in the air, and all parts of its body are arranged so as to give it lightness along with strength. The soft and delicate plumage of birds protects them from cold or moisture; their wings, though so delicate, are furnished with muscles of such power as to strike the air with great force, whilst their tails act like the rudder of a s.h.i.+p, so that they can direct their course at pleasure with the utmost ease.

The internal structure of a bird also is such as to help it to sustain itself in, and to fly quickly through, the air. Its lungs are pierced with large holes, which allow air to pa.s.s into cavities in the breast, and even into the interior of the bones. It is thus not only rendered buoyant, but is enabled to breathe even while in rapid motion. Two sparrows, it is said, require as much air to maintain their breathing properly as a guinea pig.

In many other ways the skill and goodness of G.o.d are seen in the ”fowl of the air.” Their necks and beaks are long, and very movable, so that they may readily pick up food and other objects from the ground. The muscles of their toes are so arranged that the simple weight of the body closes them, and they are able, in consequence, to sit on a perch a long time without fatigue. Even in a violent wind a bird easily retains its hold of the branch or twig on which it is sitting. Their bills are of almost all forms: in some kinds they are straight; in others curved, sometimes upwards and sometimes downwards; in others they are flat; in some they are in the form of a cone, wedge-shaped, or hooked. The bill enables a bird to take hold of its food, to strip or divide it. It is useful also in carrying materials for its nest, or food to its young; and in the birds of prey, such as the owl, the hawk, the falcon, eagle, etc., the beak is a formidable weapon of attack.

The nostrils of birds are usually of an oval form, and are placed near the base of the beak. Their eyes are so constructed that they can see near and distant objects equally well, and their sight is very acute.

The sparrow-hawk discerns the small birds which are its prey at an incredible distance. No tribe of birds possesses an outward ear, except those which seek their food by night; these have one in the form of a thin, leathery piece of flesh. The inside ear, however, is very large, and their hearing is very quick.

[Ill.u.s.tration: BIRD'S NEST.]

Another admirable feature in the structure of birds consists in their feathers. These are well adapted for security, warmth, and freedom of motion. The larger feathers of the body are placed over each other like the slates on the roof of a house, so that water is permitted to run off, and cold is kept out. The down, which is placed under the feathers, is a further protection against the cold; and hence it is most abundant in those species that are found in northern climates.

The feathery covering of birds forms their peculiar beauty: on this, in the warm climates, Nature bestows her most delicate and brightest colors.