4. Before paper was made, people used to write upon the inner bark of trees, and the thin skins of animals made sweet and dry, and called parchment. _Write and learn:_ Writing-paper is-- Smooth. Glossy. Fine. Blotting-paper is-- Soft. Unglazed. Porous. Brown paper is-- Coarse. Strong. Used for parcels. THE FLY. [_Page 99._ 1. The fly is a wonderful little insect. It has six legs, with such curious feet that it can walk on the window-panes or the ceiling. 2. It has a funny little round head. Its eyes stand out so that it can see round about it. It cannot move its eyes as we do. Neither can it bite its food--it sucks it. 3. The fly teases us in summer. It gets into our sugar, milk, treacle, and honey. Then it makes marks upon our windows and other things. 4. Its wings are very pretty. When they get wet it cannot fly. The noise flies make is called buzzing. _Write and learn:_ Flies have-- Six legs. Curious feet. Fixed eyes. Flies-- Buzz. Lay tiny eggs. Suck their food. Flies like-- Sugar. Honey. Milk. THE WASP. [_Page 102._ 1. A wasp is a very pretty insect, black and yellow in colour. There are several kinds. Some burrow in the ground and make their nests there. Others build their nests in trees. 2. Wasps live together in large numbers. They are very busy. Some lay eggs; some are masons, and build the nest; others are soldiers, and guard the home; whilst others carry away all the rubbish, and keep everything clean and tidy. 3. The wasp's sting has poison in it. This is why it gives us such pain if we get stung. 4. The wasp is something like the fly in shape, only much larger. It preys upon other insects. _Write and learn:_ The Wasp has-- Six legs. Four wings. A sharp sting. The Wasp-- Makes a nest. Works hard. Sleeps all winter. The Wasp likes-- Insects. Meat. Sweet things. THE SUNFLOWER. [_Page 104._ 1. This flower is called _sun_-flower because it always turns its face to the sun. It turns as the sun goes round. 2. The sunflower grows on a strong, tall stalk. It is something like a daisy in form. 3. The deep-yellow leaves stand out in rays from the dark-coloured middle of the flower, which is called the _disk_. This disk is made of a large number of tiny flowers closely packed together. 4. The seeds of this flower are large and oblong, and contain oil. 5. Bees and flies visit sunflowers, to gather honey. _Write and learn:_ The sunflower has-- A strong stalk. A large disk. Many rays. The sunflower-- Grows from seed. Contains honey. Turns to the sun. The sunflower has-- Small flowers in its disk. Oblong seeds. Oily seed. THE ROSE. [_Page 108._