CONCLUSION, 305: 
course through the trackless. atmosphere and over 
unbeaconed seas. When the carrier-pigeon is let 
loose in a strange region, he darts suddenly aloft in 
spiral circles, increasing the diameter at every 
turn, till at last, having, from his airy height, de- 
Scried some known familiar spot in the remote dis- 
tance, he shoots directly forward to his home like 
an arrow trom a bow. 
The hearing of birds, so necessary for escape 
from dangers as well as indicating the neighbour- 
hood of their prey, is scarcely less perfect in many 
species than their sight ; yet the external ear, which 
is essential for producing distinctness of sound 
as the organ is formed. in quadrupeds and man, 
would obstruct their rapid progress through the air,. 
and be inconvenient in other respects. This ap-. 
pendage is therefore withheld, but it is amply com- 
peusated by a peculiarity in the internal structure, 
a circumstance which indicates the never-failing 
resources of the Creator. This may be considered 
as a slight and, perhaps, a trifling change ; but it ac- 
guires importance as being one of an infinite varie-. 
ty of beneficent contrivances for the comfort and 
happiness of the different tribes of animals, wisely 
adapted to the peculiarities of their condition. 
We do not know, indeed, that there is anything 
among the wonders of creation, which strikes the 
inquiring mind more forcibly than instances of de- 
parture from an ordinary rule for the obvious pur- 
pose of accommodation to circumstances. In com- 
parative anatomy such accommodations incessantly 
occur, and it is this which gives so peculiar a charm 
to that interesting department of science. Were 
all animals to be formed precisely on the same ex- 
ternal model, or were deviations from a common 
form to bear no distinct reference to their localities 
and instincts, it would be less: easy to refute the 
comfortless theory of the infidel, who refers all the 
operations of au material causes, and éx 
o2 . 
