247 



5. It is remarkable that birds, and such other ovi- 

 parous creatures as art? long lived, have- eggs enough* 

 conceived in them at first to serve laying for many 

 years, allowing such a proportion for every year as 

 will suffice for one or two incubations. "Whereas in- 

 sects, which are to breed but once, iay all their eggs 

 at once, be they ever so many* 



6. How exceeding speedy is the growth of birds that 

 are fed by the old ones in the nest. Most of them 

 come to near the full bigness, within the short term of 

 a fortnight : an admirable provision tnat they may not 

 lie long in that helpless condition, exposed to the .ra- 

 vine of any vermin, and utterly unable to shift for 

 themselves. 



7. What amazing care do the parents take for the 

 hatching and rearing of their you-g ? First, they seek 

 put a secret and quiet place, where they may bs un- 

 disturbed in their incubation. Then they make their 

 nests, every one after his kind, that their eggs and 

 young may be soft and warm ; and those so elegant 

 and artificial, as no art of man can imitate. 



After they have laid their eggs, how diligently d > 

 they sit upon them, scarce giving themselves time to 

 go oif to get them meat: ? When the young are hatched, 

 Jiow diligently do they brood over them, lest the cold 

 should hurt them ? All the while labouring hard to 

 get them food, and almost starving themselves, lest 

 they should Mant. Moreover, with what courage an 

 they inspired, so as to venture their own lives in de- 

 feu c-e of them ? The most timorous, as hens and geese, 

 daring then even to 11 y in the face of a man. And all 

 these pains are bestowed upon those that will render 

 them no thank.s for it ! And they are bestowed just so 

 long as is necessary ; for when the young is able to 

 shift for itself, the old retains no such alfection for it, 

 but will beat it indifferently with others. 



8. It is another proof of a superintending Providencej 



M 4 



