bees, and formed thenisolves into a sort of lilack cloud, hovering over 

 tlie field. After taking a short round they settled again, and pres- 

 ently arose again in the same maimer. 1 dare say there were himdreds 

 of them. 



ilr. A. — Perhaps so; for in the IViiny euuntries their flocks are so 

 numerous as to break down whole acres of reeds by settling on them. 

 This disposition of starlings to fly in close swarms was remarked even 

 by Homer, who compares the foe", flying from one of his heroes, to a 

 cloud of stares retiring dismayed at the approach of the hawk. 



W. — .\fter I had left the meadows, I crossed the cornfields in the 

 way to our house, and passed close by a deep marl pit. Looking into 

 it I saw in one of the sides a cluster of what I took to be shells; and 

 upon going down I picked up a clod of marl, which was quite full of 

 them; but how seasliells could get there I cannot imagine. 



]ilr. A. — I do not wonder at your surprise, since many philosophers 

 have been much perplexed to account for the same appearance. It is 

 not uncommon to find great quantities of shells and relics of marine 

 animals even in the bowels of high mountains, very remote from the 

 sea. They are certainly proofs that the earth was once in a very dif- 

 ferent state from what it is at present; but in what manner, and how 

 long ago these changes took j)lacc, can only be guessed at. 



W. — I got to the high field next our house just as the sun was set- 

 ting, and I stood looking at it till it was quite lost. What a glorious 

 sight! The clouds were tinged purple and crimson, and yellow of all 

 shades and hues, and the clear sky varied from blue to a fine green at 

 the horizon. But how large the sun appears just as it sets! I think 

 it seems twice as big as when it is overhead. 



ilr. A. — It does so; and you may probably have observed the same 



apparent enlargement of the moon at its rising? 



W. — I have; but, pray, what is the reason of this? 



]\Xj.. a. — It is an optical deception, depending upon principles which 



I can not well explain to you till you know more of that branch of 



science. But what a number of new ideas this afternoon's walk has 



afforded you! I do not wonder that you found it amusing; it has been 



very instructive, too. Did you see nothing of all these sights, Robert? 



R. I saw some of them, but I did not take particular notice of 



them. 



Mr. A.— Why not? 



j^ I don't know. I did not care about them, and I made the best 



of my way home. 



Mr. A.— That would have been right if you had been sent with a 



