H.

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ORANGE, NEW JERSEY.

I thought some of the young readers might like to hear about our
alligator. It is about nine inches long, from its tail to its
nose. It came from Florida last month. We keep it in a tub. It
would not eat much, but we feed it by tapping it on the nose, and
putting a small piece of meat on its tongue with a stick.

J. O. U., JUN.

You would better give your alligator a piece of board to crawl up on,
for it will die if compelled to remain constantly in the water.

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MELROSE, MASSACHUSETTS.

I found a caterpillar when I was going to school one morning last
fall. When I came back, I brought it home with me. I put it under
a glass globe, and fed it with milkweed leaves for about a week,
and then it changed into a large brown butterfly, with black and
white spots on its wings. We put it on a piece of Brazilian wood,
such as naturalists use, which a lady gave me. The time to find
the caterpillars is in July and August. I am trying to keep a
cabinet. I found willow "pussies" last January. I put the twigs in
a vase of water, and now they have leaves on them about an inch
long.

ARTHUR L. H.

Your caterpillar must have passed some time in the chrysalis state
before it became a butterfly. It is very interesting to watch the
process of transformation from a caterpillar to a chrysalis, and nothing
is prettier than the butterfly or moth creeping out of its cell, and
expanding its wings for the first time.

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CHESTER, NEW JERSEY.

I like YOUNG PEOPLE very much. Although I am only eight years old,
I can read it all except the hard names you call some of the
animals and plants. But papa explains them to me. I have a Maltese
kitty. A short time ago we moved, and I was afraid I would lose
it. A lady told me to take it to the new house, and rub butter on
its paws. I did so, and kitty spent hours licking off the butter.
It kept it busy until it became used to its new home, and
contented to stay.

MAMIE B. L.

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CONCORD, NEW HAMPSHIRE, _March 22, 1880_.

We are four children, two boys and two girls, living in rather a
lonely place, and YOUNG PEOPLE gives us a great deal of pleasure.
In warm we