THE MUSEUM. 



137 



event were in successi\e operation, 

 and were produced in the order in 

 which we find them; put in the same 

 manner an edifice having granite for 

 its foundation, sandstone for its base- 

 ment, marble for its upper structure, 

 wood for its roof, and slate for its cov- 

 ering, shows that it was actually con' 

 -structed of these materials by the 

 architect, and connected in that order 

 by his intelligent design. 



The view I have taken now of the 

 first chapter of Genesis tends to deep- 

 ■en my confidence in the unqualified re- 

 velations of the Bible. F"or if the 

 acts of apart of eternity have been so 

 faithfully revealed by the divine spirit, 

 that nature says, "It was ever so," 

 have we not a striking proof before us 

 that He who could juakc known the 

 part, can also reveal the future! And 

 is his omniscience foretell not only the 

 changes yet to come on the face of the 

 earth, but what still more concerns 

 man, his immortal destiny in another 

 world. 



The great German astronomer, Kep- 

 ler, having beheld creative glory man- 

 ifested in the movements of the heav- 

 enly bodies, poured forth at the con- 

 clusion of one of his astronomical 

 works, a thanksgiving prayer. And, 

 cannot, I at the close of this short es- 

 say on the earth's wonderful construc- 

 tion, suitably adopt his words of hom- 

 age and request .•■ 



"It remains only that I should now 

 lift up to heaven my eyes and hands 

 from the table of my pursuits, and 

 humbly and devotely give thee thanks 

 O Lord and Creator, that thou hast 

 gladdened me by thy creation. If 

 anything unworthy of Thee has been 

 said by me, a worm, born and nour- 

 ished in sin, do thou teach me, that I 



may correct it, and finally grant this 

 favor, that my words may never be in- 

 jurious, but may answer to the glory 

 and good of souls," amen. 



Chas. S. Whitney, 



Hinsdale, N. H. 



Do Birds Reason? 



While reading the interesting article 

 under the above heading by Mr. E. 

 Kroy in the November number of the 

 Museum it brought to my mind an 

 incident that came under my own ob- 

 servation a few years ago. 



In the house where I lived there was 

 a small hole under the eaves where the 

 outside boards had rotted away leav- 

 ing quite a cavity inside. 



A pair of Purple Martins took up 

 their abode in this cavity and reared 

 their brood. They came regularly 

 after that every spring for three or 

 four years. One wmter while repair- 

 ing the house the Martins were forgot- 

 ten and the opening was closed with 

 boards. The next spring I noticed 

 the single pair of Martin's flying about 

 the house for several days, seeming 

 very uneasy. At last I got a ladder 

 and made a small opening in the new 

 boards over the cavity when they at 

 once took possession of their old 

 breeding place and brought forth their 

 brood and have come regularly since. 



Although it is the habit of many 

 birds to return to their old breeding 

 place year after year, I think that 

 these birds coming back and finding 

 things changed must have used reason 

 or why would they stay around for a 

 week without finding another nesting 

 place. J. H. Merrill. 



Cambridgeport, Mass. 



