The last bird to disappear has been the great vulture of the Alps. This was a big bird indeed. It was two yards wide across the outspread wings. It lived on the high peaks of the Alps. This bird had a large hooked beak and large strong claws. You know that eagles and vultures are flesh eaters. This big vulture did not confine its diet to dead flesh. It would pick up and carry off a little lamb. It has been known, also, to carry off a baby child. So, as this was a cruel and dangerous bird, I am glad it has gone from the earth. The garefowl, often called a penguin, is another lost bird. It was a great bird, living on the coast. It had such small wings that it could not fly. Thus you see it could not get away from dogs and wild animals, except when it could take to the water. When men joined in the hunt, the garefowl soon perished. Is it not right, then, to kill birds for food? Yes. But they should never be killed until the season is over when they are laying eggs and raising the young brood. If old birds are killed before the young ones are reared, you can see that the birds must soon die out. Then, too, while birds may be killed for food, it is not right to kill them for the mere pleasure of killing. It is wrong to find a pleasure in taking away life. You should never waste the life of beast, bird, insect, or plant. I have seen people nearly destroy a variety of rare wild flower, by tearing up masses of the plant before seeds had time to form. The people took much that they did not need and soon threw away. Then only few and small plants were left for seed. We should remember that as we are not the first people on the earth, so we shall not be the last, and we should not rob the future of things that are pleasing to us. We should all try to make the earth richer and better, not poorer, for our having been in it. LESSON XL. THE FIN FAMILY. I remember when I thought that no living thing was of so little interest as a fish. I used to wonder how it was that the great Agassiz began his studies in Nature with fish. I did not think that fish were even pretty. I suppose that was because I knew nothing about them. When we are quite ignorant of a subject, we are apt to think it has no interest. One reason why, in these Nature Readers, I am telling you something of many things is, that by knowing a little of these subjects, your interest in them may be aroused. Then you will try to learn more; and the more you know, the more you will enjoy. [Illustration: IN THE COOL DEPTHS.] Once, if you had asked me, “What is a fish?” I should have said, “Oh, a fish is a long thing, with scales and fins; and it lives in the water!” How many of you can tell me anything more than that? Perhaps you will add that a fish is good to eat.