nt to men and boys who are strolling along the Thames
banks or bridges. Supplying themselves with bits of bread or fragments
of meat, they fling these upon the river, and watch the birds eagerly
pursue the food.

Seagulls will also give chase to birds of other species they may come
across. Not long ago the Cunard steamer _Campania_, from New York, was
nearly due south of Nova Scotia, when the look-out observed a bird close
at hand flying rapidly. In fact, it went faster than the ship, which was
then moving twenty-four statute miles an hour. A great number of
seagulls were chasing the fugitive, but could not make enough speed to
catch it. At length the bird settled upon the deck, wearied, and proved
to be a fine specimen of the snowy owl.

The snowy owl is a species chiefly found in the Arctic Circle,
especially about Greenland and Iceland. It is a hardy bird, and has its
nest among the rocks. The bill is hooked like a hawk's, having round the
base a few stiff feathers. Its plumage is snowy white touched with some
brown.

J. R. S. C.

[Illustration: "A great number of seagulls were chasing the fugitive."]

[Illustration: HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS.]

[Illustration: "'You shall go,' said the captain, 'if I lose every
passenger.'"]

THE CAPTAIN AND THE INVALID.

A fine instance of moral courage occurred not long ago at a small
seaport. The captain of a little passenger-boat, a tall, sun-browned
man, stood on his craft superintending the labours of his men, when the
boat train came in, and about twelve minutes after, a party of
half-a-dozen gentlemen came along, and, deliberately walking up to the
captain, thus addressed him:--

'Sir, we wish to go by this boat, but our further progress to-day
depends upon you. In the train we have just left there is a sick man,
whose presence is extremely disagreeable to us. We have been chosen as a
committee by the passengers, to ask that you will deny this man a
passage on your boat; if he goes, we remain here.'

By this time others had come from the train.

'Gentlemen,' said the captain, 'I have heard the passengers through your
committee. Has the invalid any representatives here? I wish to hear both
sides of the question.'

To this unexpected inquiry there was not a single answer. Without a
pause, the captain crossed to the car, and, entering, beheld a poor,
emaciated, worn-out creature, who was obviously very weak and ill.

The man's head was bowed in his hands, an