43 THE THRUSH. 



the next day, and they gathered the Quails ; he that 

 gathered least had ten homers, and they spread them 

 all abroad for themselves round about the camp." 



So little do we know what is best for ourselves, that 

 we often ask for things, which if they are granted us, 

 prove in the end to be the greatest of evils. This was 

 the case with the children of Israel in this great supply 

 of meat. They would not be satisfied with the man- 

 na, which preserved them in the finest health, so that 

 not one was sick ; but they must indulge their appe- 

 tites, and did not cease to murmur until they had abun- 

 dance of ftesh. 



But a dreadful disease followed this indulgence, as 

 a punishment for their having murmured against God, 

 when he was providing for them every thing they 

 needed. " The wrath of God came upon them, and 

 slew the fattest of them, ard smote down the chosen 

 men of Israel." Psalm 68, verse 31. 



Let us then, when we have a sufficiency of the good 

 things of this world, and above all, when we are in 

 health, be contented, and not murmur against God be- 

 cause we cannot indulge in needless luxuries ; remem- 

 bering that if they were in our power, they might be 

 the occasion of disease or even death, as the Quails 

 were to the children of Israel. 



THE THRUSH. 



Birds of the Thrush kind have bills nearly straight, 

 but bending a little towards the end. They feed up- 

 on berries and insects. Some of them are among the 



