THE POULTRY KIND. 277 



observe and despise the absurd ideas of weak and ig- 

 norant minds. Indeed, I believe you are, notwith- 

 standing your juvenile years, already sufficiently en- 

 lightened to laugh at the tales of superstition. I can 

 also assure you, that the screech owl is -a very harm- 

 less bird : it preys solely on small birds, mice, or 

 reptiles: and never either procured or foretold the 

 death or disaster of any human beings, whatever 

 nurses and gossips may think of the matter. 



I shall here leave you awhile to laugh at the no- 

 tions of old women, or of men whose minds are as 

 weak and as ignorant as theirs, while I prepare some- 

 thing new for your entertainment, and most ailec- 

 tionately remain, 



Dear Sir, 



Your's, &c. 



LETTER XLIV. 



" The careful hen 



Calls all her chirping family around, 

 Fed and defended by the tearless cock ; 

 Whose breast with ardour flmues, as on he walks 

 Graceful, and crows defiance." 



DEAR SIR, 



A AM now going to call your attention to a subject 

 of great importance >;. "ie economy of civilized life, 

 and present to your view a class of objects in the ani- 

 mal system equally curious and useful. 



From the most rapacious class of birds, we are now, 

 my dear Sir, making a transition to those which are 

 the tamest, and which not only contribute to the deli- 

 cacies of the table, but furnish articles of commerce, 

 and are consequently of great advantage to human 

 society. 



It is obvious that birds of the 



GALLINACEOUS, OR POULTRY RIND, 



exhibit a complete contrast to those which we have 

 "been hitherto occupied in contemplating. 



6 



