Geologists say that the gorge through which the Niagara River flows below the falls bears evidence of having been excavated by the river itself. Within the present century changes have taken place by the falling down of masses of rock, the effect of which has been to cause a slight recession of the cataract and extend the gorge to the same distance upward toward Lake Erie. Table Rock, once a striking feature of the falls, has wholly disappeared. Father Hennepin made a sketch of the falls in 1678, a facsimile of which shows that many striking features have disappeared. In 1750 the falls were visited by Kalm, a Swedish naturalist, whose description of Niagara was published in 1751. He alludes to a rock having fallen down a few years previous and indicates the spot in his sketch. Lyell estimates the retrocession of the falls to be about a foot a year. Of late years the extraordinary power of the falls has been adapted to the production of electricity, which has been distributed to various cities and towns within a radius of 100 miles. Street cars and machinery of every kind are run by them, and, by new devices and more powerful dynamos, it is believed the field for the successful utilization of this great force is almost without limit. HOW THE WOODPECKER KNOWS. How does he know where to dig his hole, The woodpecker there, on the elm tree bole? How does he know what kind of a limb To use for a drum, or to burrow in? How does he find where the young grubs grow-- I'd like to know? The woodpecker flew to a maple limb, And drummed a tattoo that was fun for him. "No breakfast here! It's too hard for that," He said, as down on his tail he sat. Just listen to this: rrrrr rat-tat-tat. Away to the pear tree out of sight, With a cheery call and a jumping flight! He hopped around till he found a stub, Ah, here's the place to look for a grub! 'Tis moist and dead rrrrr rub-dub-dub. To a branch of the apple tree Downy hied, And hung by his toes on the under side. 'Twill be sunny here in this hollow trunk, It's dry and soft, with a heart of punk, Just the place for a nest!--rrrr runk-tunk-tunk. "I see," said the boy, "just a tap or two, Then listen, as any bright boy might do. You can tell ripe melons and garden stuff In the very same way--it's easy enough." --_Youth's Companion._