towards the land. The height is about eight feet. From two to thirty Beavers inhabit each dwelling; and in each pond there are from ten to twenty-five houses. They have each a bed of moss; and for their support in winter, ample stores are laid up in each separate cabin. For one tenant to steal from the magazine belonging to the tenants of another cabin is unknown. The notions of property and honesty are universal. Strangers are not permitted to intrude, but strict friendship prevails among the members of the same society. The approach of danger is announced by the violent striking of the tail against the surface of the water, which extends the alarm to a considerable distance, when some throw themselves into the water, and others retire into their houses, where they are safe from every enemy but man. During the summer time they quit their houses, and ramble about from place to place, sleeping under the covert of bushes by the water-side.

The walk of the Beaver is awkward, as is that of all amphibious animals, applying only the toes of the fore feet to the ground. The eye is small, with a round pupil, which closes, almost entirely, in a strong light. The ears and nostrils close when the creature dives. Its voice is uneasy, from a dull sound, changing to a louder tone,

resembling a bark. The teeth of the Beaver resemble those of a rat or squirrel, to which class of animals it bears a considerable resemblance in its external form. The teeth are its most distinguished instruments; and the use of these it possesses in perfection. They are two in each jaw, placed opposite to each other, and so strong and sharp as to enable the Beaver to gnaw through the largest trunks of trees needed for its purpose, with the greatest ease and despatch imaginable. It has membranes between the toes of the hind feet only, the fore feet being used as the squirrel uses them, to supply the place of hands.

The flesh of the Beaver is said to be delicious; but it is not so much hunted for this as for the medicinal substance called castor, which is taken from the animal; and for the sake of its more celebrated fur, of which amazing quantities are brought annually into the market. The city of Quebec alone, in 1828, supplied this country with one hundred and twenty-six thousand, nine hundred and twenty-seven skins, at the average of eighteen shillings and ninepence per skin; making a sum of one hundred and eighteen thousand, nine hundred and ninety-four pounds. At what a waste of life, of labour, and of treasures are our daily comforts and luxuries supplied!

Sir Hans Sloane had a female in his garden

for three months. She was about half grown, and, except the tail and hind feet, bore not a very distant resemblance to a great over-grown water rat. She fed on bread and water, and gnawed several vines, jessamines, and hollies, that were within her reach. When she ate, she sat on her hind legs, and held the bread in her fore paws, like a squirrel. In swimming, she held her fore feet close under the throat, swimming with her hind feet only, and steering her course with her tail. She would keep under water for two or three minutes, and then come up to breathe. She swam much faster than any water-fowl, and under water she moved as fast as a carp. She was very brisk, and thrived well upon the food she took, and was turned into a spring to bathe three or four times a week. She was at length killed by

a dog.

Were a person, unacquainted with the history of Beavers, to be shown their dwellings, he would doubtless conclude they were the works of eminent architects who were endowed with reason. But on a nearer examination, we shall perceive that whatever sagacity appears in their works, yet they act only from instinct. Were they guided by reason, there would be a difference in their buildings, and a gradual advancing towards perfection; but we find they never vary from the

rules of their forefathers, and the Beavers of the present day build just as Beavers did two thou

sand years ago.

Man, therefore, still stands alone upon earth, the chief and head of this lower world. He

alone possesses that degree of reason which renders him accountable for his actions unto God his Creator. He alone his capable of knowing God, as his God, of serving and enjoying him for And although he has fallen from God by his iniquities and shameful ingratitude, yet God has loved him and given his only Son to die for his sins.

ever.

MY FIRST ATTEMPT.

"My first attempt! I wonder at what?" some of my young readers may exclaim. Well, wait a little, and you shall know. In the beginning of the year 18—, if you had been in the sabbath school at M- —n, a large village in the county of L—n, you would have witnessed a sight that perhaps would have been as pleasing to you as it was to myself and most of the children then present. You would have seen the kind and active secretary of our school, standing (I fancy I see him now) holding up to the view of us all a

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new "Children's Magazine;" and, after giving a short description of its interesting contents, he invited those who wished to take it regularly to stay after the close of the school and have their names taken down as subscribers. Prospectuses had been hung up in our school-room two or three months before, announcing that on the first day of the new year, a new “ Children's Magazine” would appear, in which, and future numbers, beside many interesting accounts, there would be some Query to answer, or Enigma to solve. The three best answers given to any question proposed, were to receive as many prizes, of various value. This was the reason that I and many of my fellow scholars so anxiously desired to see the first number. No doubt the kind Editor thought that by the offer of the prizes, many little folks would be induced to try what they could do. Several of us in our school had made up our minds to try, and our teachers kindly encouraged us; so you may be sure we were pleased when the "New Magazine" was held up to our view, and little else could we think of that morning. At last, twelve o'clock came, and with it the object of our desires. But alas! how fallen were our hopes, when, instead of, as we expected, some easy question to answer, we found what we thought a difficult enigmatical piece of poetry; of which,