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 from 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- 

 pensated 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 nature to material causes, and ex- 

 Co 2 



