Wonderful Natural Provision-
In the struggle for lit'« which is
going on perpetually throughout the
whole of the animal creation, it is in
lerohling to observe the wonderful
provisions which nature makes for
the preservation of the weaker and
more helpless animals. In many
cases the color of the creature is
i adapted in a wondeiful way to its
| mode of living and place of couceal*
merit, and contributes very material
liy to its safely. We, says the World
j of Wonders, know how difficult it is
to distinguish the grasshopper from
the leaf or blade where he is res ing
till lie betrays himself by moving
The birds that sing in the hedgerows
have feathers on their backs which
harmonize with the color of the leaves
about winch they flit, while the feath
ers on their breasts borrow their
white iiue of the clouds above them
The partridge can hardly be distin
guished from the stubble where it
makes its nest, while in the Northern
eounirias, the winter dress of the hare
and ptarmigan is white like the snow
among which they are seen. The
same is the case with the inhabitants
ol the water. The frogs, which live
in the pools and muddy ditches, are
known to vary their color according
to the nature of the sand or mud
among which they live. The tree
frog, on the other hand, is green, and
thus is with difficulty distinguished
from the trees to which it adheres.—
Fish, especially those which inhabit
fresh water, are so like in color to the
weeds and stones among whieh they
lie, that it is often very difficult to
detect their presence.
