162 On the Ornithology of Wilts. 



d&n tjje (toittjolagij nf S3ilk 



No. 4.— ON THE BEAKS OF BIRDS. 



There is nothing in the whole structure of a bird which appears 

 to me to be so perfect, so suitable for the end for which it was 

 formed, so interesting and worthy of close examination, as " the 

 beak ;" I have cursorily alluded to it in a former paper ; I propose 

 now to let it form the subject of the present, that we may devote 

 some time to a thorough examination of this very useful organ. 



Every bird is furnished with a beak, composed of two parts, the 

 upper and lower mandible, formed of horny substances ensheathing 

 the jaws ; it is analogous to the lips and teeth of quadrupeds ; it is 

 (as I before stated) seldom employed in mastication ; and its chief 

 employment is in taking the food on which the bird subsists ; but 

 as the nature of that food varies so much, according to the habits 

 of the different species, so does this organ vary extremely in form 

 as well as in size, and so presents one of the most distinguishing 

 features for ascertaining the proper position in classification which 

 the bird is entitled to hold : indeed if we examine the beak alone, 

 this is quite sufficient to indicate at a glance the order and tribe at 

 least, if not the family and even genus, to which the specimen 

 belongs. But now, however varied in form, in size, in consistency, 

 and in capabilities they may be ; however diverse in appearance, 

 however perfect or imperfect, proportionate or disproportionate, 

 graceful or ugly, they may seem ; if we examine with attention the 

 uses for which they were respectively formed, and to which they 

 are daily applied, we shall see that they all unite in partaking of 

 this one common attribute, that they are all (each in its separate 

 capacity) the very best instruments that could be devised for accom- 



