ys of telling:
The simplest thing that one can do,
Is to observe the spelling.

The Hen. The Lichen.

[Illustration: The Hen. The Lichen.]

The Lichens lie on rocks and bark,
They look somewhat like Hens:
Hens _lay_, they _lie_, we may remark,
A difference of tense.

The Hawk. The Hollyhock.

[Illustration: The Hawk. The Hollyhock.]

To recognize this Bird-of-Prey,
The broody Hen you should survey:
She takes her Chicks on daily walks,
Among the neighboring Hollyhocks,
While with the Hawk association,
Is quite beyond her toleration.

The Cow Bird. The Cowslip.

[Illustration: The Cow Bird. The Cowslip.]

Growing in mires, in gold attired,
The Cowslip has been much admired,
Altho' its proper name, we're told,
Is really the Marsh Marigold:
The Cow Bird picture, I suspect,
Is absolutely incorrect,
We make such errors now and then,
A sort of cow slip of the pen.

A Sparrer. Asparagus.

[Illustration: A Sparrer. Asparagus.]

The Sparrow, from flying, is quite out of breath,
In fact he has worked himself almost to death,
While the lazy Asparagus,--so it is said,--
Spends all of his time in the 'sparagus bed.

The Tern. The Turnip.

[Illustration: The Tern. The Turnip.]

To tell the Turnip from the Tern,
A thing which everyone should learn,
Observe the Tern up in the air,
See how he turns,--and now compare
Him with this inert vegetable,
Who thus to turn is quite unable,
For he is rooted to the spot,
While as we see the Tern is not:
He is not always doomed to be
Thus bound to earth e-_tern_-ally,
For "Cooked to a turn" may be inferred,
To change the Turnip to the Bird.

[Illustration]

Observe the Turnip in the pot.
The Tern is glad that he is not!

The Ole Gander. The Oleander.

[Illustration: The Ole Gander. The Oleander.]

The Gander loves to promenade,
Around the farmer's poultry-yard,
While, as we see, the Oleander
Is quite unable to meander.

The Blue Mountain Lory. The Blue Morning Glory.

[Illustration: The Blue Mountain Lory. The Blue Morning Glory.]

The Blue Mountain Lory spends most of his time
In climbing about in a tropical clime;
We therefore our efforts need only confine,
To minutely observing the climb of the Vine.

The Quail. The Kale.

[Illustration: The Quail. The Kale.]

The California Quail is said