h in our age, but the day is
past, when ninety thousand men, women, and children could be gathered
together to see other men, women, and children torn and devoured by
lions and tigers. Let us hope, that by the time the Colosseum has
entirely crumbled away, men will no longer meet in thousands to kill
and mangle each other on the battle-field.

BIRD CHAT.

[Illustration: BIRD CHAT.]

In a far-off country, on a summer day, it chanced that two Cormorants
stood on a great rock, lazily dozing. This rock was by the side of a
little river that, only a few miles below, flowed into the sea; for
the Cormorant is a marine bird, and haunts the sea-coast. It was a
lovely place, although not very far from the habitations of men, and a
number of cows had laid themselves down in the grassy field that
surrounded an old ruined temple on the gentle slope of a hill above
the river. The day had been still and hot, but now a soft breeze was
stirring the long grasses, and bending the tassels of the reeds
gracefully over the water, and the scent of flowers came floating down
from the vines clambering over the old ruin, and the hum of insects
filled the air.

But I do not think the Cormorants noticed any of these things. Their
long necks were folded so that their heads nearly rested on their
backs, for, as I said before, they were dozing. The truth is, these
birds had eaten so much they had made themselves perfectly stupid,
which is a bad way the Cormorant has, as, no doubt, you know; for it
has probably happened to you some time in your life to have indulged
yourself so freely in eating something that you liked that you have
been scornfully called "a little Cormorant!"

But this state of insensibility was passing away, and they were now in
a gentle doze, and sleeping, thinking of the company they were to
entertain. For these Cormorants had come to this spot to meet their
cousin the Pelican to consult with him on some family matters. Upon
their first arrival at the place they had set to work to get together
a good supply of fish, for this is the only food of both the Cormorant
and the Pelican. In a short time they landed a great number, and
bestowed them in a safe place, and then they set to work catching
fish for themselves and eating them greedily.

You might suppose such a lazy-looking bird would find it impossible to
catch anything so active as fish. But you should see it when it is
fully awake and hungry. The bird darts thr