NATURAL THEOLOGY. 89 



Why this peculiar advantage bestowed upon the 

 bird ? It could only proceed from a designing intelli- 

 gence. We see nothing in the nature or habits of this 

 animal in particular to funish him with bones more 

 hollow or more empty than those of other species. 

 And again, what natural tendency, which we can im- 

 agine, has a bone of unusual lightness to cover itself 

 with feathers ? One is suited to the other ; but what 

 effect had one to produce the other? Remarkably 

 hollow bones might naturally enough have occasioned 

 a remarkably nimble animal ; but how could it have 

 given him wings ? We see a connexion of design, and 

 that is all we perceive. 



T. There are nerves and blood-vessels, which en- 

 ter through the sides of the bones. Just for the pur- 

 pose of shewing the wonderful attention which is paid 

 to the most minute particulars where utility is con- 

 cerned, can you mention what anatomists observe as 

 to the direction in which the channels are bored for 

 this purpose ? 



T. The holes are generally winding : they take a 

 zig-zag course, so that they are nowhere in a single 

 line directly across, which would most have weakened 

 the bone. 



B. We often find trees perforated by worms in 

 this serpentine manner ; and Providence has, perhaps, 

 so directed the instinct of these little creatures for the 

 same object. 



A. In all the two hundred and sixty bones in the 

 human body there is not one, but what is suited to its 



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