-SPIDER TO HER MOTHER 29

IV.--FROM A YOUNG NIGHTINGALE TO A WREN 33

V.--FROM AN EARWIG, DEPLORING THE LOSS OF ALL HER CHILDREN 39

VI.--FROM THE WILD DUCK TO THE TAME DUCK 42

VII.--THE TAME DUCK'S REPLY 47

VIII.--FROM THE GANDER TO THE TURKEY-COCK. _By Charles Bloomfield_ 53

IX.--FROM THE DUNGHILL-COCK TO THE CHAFFINCH 58

X.--FROM THE BLUE-BOTTLE FLY TO THE GRASSHOPPER
_By Charles Bloomfield_ 63

XI.--FROM THE GLOW-WORM TO THE BUMBLE-BEE. _By Charles Bloomfield_ 66

XII.--FROM THE PIGEON TO THE PARTRIDGE 71

XIII.--FROM THE WOOD-PIGEON TO THE OWL 78

XIV.--THE OWL IN REPLY TO THE WOOD-PIGEON 85

XV.--FROM A SWALLOW IN THE SOUTH OF FRANCE TO AN ENGLISH ROBIN 88

XVI.--ON HEARING THE CUCKOO AT MIDNIGHT, MAY 1ST. 1822.
_By Charles Bloomfield_ 95

LIST OF FULL-PAGE ILLUSTRATIONS.

PAGE
THE BIRD AND INSECTS' POST-OFFICE _Frontispiece._

MAGPIE 18

SPARROWS 23

SPIDERS 28

NIGHTINGALE 32

WRENS 35

WILD DUCKS 43

SPARROWS 49

GOOSE 55

COCK 59

PARTRIDGES 70, 74

PIGEONS 72, 76

OWLS 79, 83

SWALLOWS 89, 92

AND SEVERAL SMALLER ONES IN THE TEXT.

AUTHOR'S PREFACE.

We all know that AEsop has made his birds and beasts talk, and reason
too; and that so well as still to make the volume bearing his name a
favourite with thousands. Perhaps, too, we all know that same French
author has objected to this method of teaching, alleging that children
should not be imposed upon (or something to that effect), and led to
believ