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Tilde their abodes from the searching eye, or intruding 

 hand, is admirable. No general though fruitful in 

 expedients, could build so commodious a lodgment. 

 Give the most celebrated artificer the same materials 

 \vhich these weak and unexperienced creatures use. 

 Let a Jones or a Demoivre hare only some rude 

 stones or ugly sticks, a few bits of dirt or scraps of 

 hair, a lock of wool, era coarse sprig of moss : and 

 what works could they produce ? 



We extol the commander^ who knows how to take 

 advantage of the ground ; who by every circumstance 

 embarrasses the forces of his enemy, and advances the 

 success of his own. Docs not this praise belong to 

 the feathered leaders ? Who fix their pensile camp, 

 on the dangerous branches that wave aloft in the air, 

 or dance over the stream ? By this means the vernal 

 gales rock thuir cradle, and the murmuring waters 

 lull the young, \\hile both concur to terrify their 

 enemies, and keep them at a distance. borne hide 

 their little household from view, amidst the shelter of 

 entangled furze. Others remove it from discovery in 

 the centre of a iiiorny uiicket. Ami by Gfif- atrstS- 

 gem or another they are generally as secure, as if they 

 intrenched themselves iu the earth. 



If the swan has large sweeping wings, and a copious 

 stock of feathers to spread over his callow young, 

 the wren makes up by contrivance what is wanting ia 

 her bulk. Small as she is, she will be obliged to 

 nurse up a very numerous issue. Therefore with 

 surprising judgment she designs, and with wonderful 

 diligence finishes her nest. It is a neat oval, bottomed 

 and vaulted over with a regular concave : within made 

 soft with down, without thatched with moss, only 

 a small aperture left, for her entrance. By this means 

 the enlivening heat of her body is greatly increased 

 during the time of incubation. And her young no 

 sooner burst the shell, than they find themselves 

 screened from the annoyance of the weather, and 

 comfortably reposed, till they gather strength in the 

 warmth of a bagnio. 



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