168 



sets in ; and our winter birds, the red-wing or the field- 

 fare departing on the first approach of spring. 



What a want of maternal affection is displayed in the 

 cuckoo, who lays her eg^rs in the nest of the hedge- 

 accentor or the lark, to be brought up by a stranger 

 mother. 



How various are the forms of the nests of birds, yet 

 each species always so much alike as to be easily recog- 

 nized. 



How different their habits, the sparrow or the red- 

 brest the companions of man, to the fell-ousel or the 

 kingfisher shunning his approach. 



How curious that the female chaffinch should depart 

 in winter leaving the male behind. 



The instinct of the butcher bird in empaling its cap- 

 tured meat until tender enough for food. The dread 

 which other birds have of a hawk ; the chicken but jost 

 hatched, although it will take no heed of a turkey, or a 

 crow, will be terrified on the approach of a hawk. 



These comparisons and facts of so much interest, 

 might, if space allowed, be much enlarged; there are 

 also others of the animal kingdom from which we 

 derive great comforts, to the cow we are indebted for 

 milk, to the bee for honey, and to the hen for eggs, these 

 every-day comforts are so familiar that it is forgotten 

 there is anything wonderful respecting them. Sufficient 

 has however been said upon this subject in illustration 

 of the interest to be derived from the investigation of the 

 various branches of natural history. 



It may not seem amiss to offer a few remarks on the 

 economy of the shells which we have now described, an 

 economy which is as beautiful as it is perfect. It is a 

 known principle of nature that a species does not depart 

 from its own law of formation, i.e. each shell from 

 generation to generation is found precisely alike, and 



