ur of a
negro's skin enables him to bear the heat of a fierce sun, and, as we
have seen, the negro whose skin is white suffers much pain and
inconvenience. A similar colouring matter in the eyes helps to shield
them from the bright glare of the sunlight, and the poor man whose eyes
are without this protection is compelled to go about with half-closed
eyes.

A BOY'S HEROISM.

A True Anecdote.

A couple of boys were once climbing about some disused scaffolding in a
lonely place, when a beam on which they were standing gave way under
their feet. Both fell, the elder a little before the younger. But just
in time the elder managed to clutch another beam and hold fast to it. By
a providential coincidence, his brother, catching wildly at anything
within his reach, seized his legs, and the two hung suspended thus, with
all the weight on the elder boy's arms. Before long, the strain became
too great, and he called out to the other that they were lost, for he
could hold on no longer. No one was near, and there was little hope that
their cries would attract attention.

'Could you save yourself if I let go?' asked the younger.

'I think so.'

'Then good-bye, and Heaven bless you,' said the little boy.

With these words he let go, and was dashed to pieces upon the ground
beneath. His brother, thus released from the additional weight, was able
to pull himself up to a place of safety.

INSECT WAYS AND MEANS.

V.--HOW INSECTS FLY.

The wings of insects are like those of bats and birds only in the work
they do. In another respect they are quite different organs. The wings
of the bird and the bat, for instance, are formed from the front pair of
limbs, but the wings of insects are formed on a very different plan from
the walking limbs, of which there are never less than three pairs. The
bat and the bird have only one pair of wings, the insects have two,
though in many cases the hinder or second pair have been reduced to the
merest stumps, or vestiges, as they are called. In other words, they are
all that is left of a once useful pair.

The butterfly has two pairs of wings; the fly is a good example of an
insect which has but one pair. The stumps or vestiges of the second pair
can only be found after careful search. But these vestiges--which are
known as the 'balancers'--have a new use, and probably act as organs of
hearing as well as to guide the flight. The butterfly uses both pairs of
wings in flight, the