22 
OUR HOME BIRDS. 
the manner in which a bird makes its way through 
the air. 
“And now, Malcolm,” continued his governess, 
“we are coming to the very reason why you and 
I cannot enjoy the pleasures of flying. The mus- 
cles which move a bird’s wings are exceedingly 
strong, and especially one that is much larger than 
the others, which pulls the wing down and strikes 
it against the air. This is so immensely large that if 
a man had a muscle of the same kind it would have 
to begin at his shoulders, spread over half of his 
breast and go down to his feet, while that part of it 
on his breast would need to be nearly a foot thick.” 
“We should look funny enough,” said Malcolm, 
laughing ; “ but I must say I should like to fly, in 
spite of the looks. It is so provoking to think that 
the littlest birds can do something that I can’t !” 
“ They can do several things that you cannot do,” 
replied Miss Harson — “feeding on bugs and worms 
for instance, which I do not think you would care to 
imitate.” Malcolm made a very wry face, and his 
teacher continued: “We have every reason to be 
satisfied with the privileges which God has given us, 
and we certainly should not be willing to change in 
all respects with any of the lower order of beings. 
I think you all understand now why birds can fly 
and we cannot. How would you like to have me 
