llustration: Bird perched on branch.]

THE KINGBIRD.

1. The kingbird is not bigger than a robin.

2. He eats flies, and worms, and bugs, and berries.

3. He builds his nest in a tree, near some house.

4. When there are young ones in the nest, he sits on the top of a tree
near them.

5. He watches to see that no bird comes to hurt them or their mother.

6. If a hawk, a crow, or even an eagle comes near, he makes a dash at it.

7. Though he is so small, he is brave, and he is also very active.

8. He never fails to drive off other birds from his nest.

9. He flies around and around the eagle, and suddenly strikes him with his
sharp bill.

10. He strikes at his eye, and then darts away before the eagle can catch
him.

11. Or he strikes from behind, and is off again before the eagle can turn
round.

12. In a short time, the great eagle is tired of such hard blows, and
flies away. He is very glad to get rid of his foe.

13. Is not the little fellow a brave bird?

14. Because he can drive off all other birds, he is called the KINGBIRD.

LESSON XIX.

watch'ing gath'ers an'gels be gin'

dark'ness a cross' lone'ly beasts

[Illustration: Sunset;lake in foreground, town in background.]

EVENING HYMN.

1. Now the day is over,
Night is drawing nigh,
Shadows of the evening
Steal across the sky.

2. Now the darkness gathers,
Stars begin to peep;
Birds, and beasts, and flowers
Soon will be asleep.

3. Through the lonely darkness,
May the angels spread
Their white wings above me,
Watching round my bed.

LESSON XX.

di vid'ed quar'rel a gree' thus sey'tle

set'tling ker'nel e'qual apt parts

THE QUARREL.

1. Under a great tree in the woods, two boys saw a fine, large nut, and
both ran to get it.

2. James got to it first, and picked it up.

3. "It is mine," said John, "for I was the first to see it."

4. "No, it is mine" said James, "for I was the first to pick it up."

[Illustration: Three boys standing by a fence, one older than the others.]

5. Thus, they at once began to quarrel about the nut.

6. As they could not agree whose it should be, they called an older boy,
and asked him.

7. The older boy said, "I will settle this quarrel."

8. He took the nut, and broke the shell. He then took out the kernel, and
divided the shell into two parts, as nearly equal as he could.

9. "This hal