from them to their beneficent Author. In orni- 

 thology this is peculiarly the case, and in this 

 department of science will be found matter, the 

 knowledge of which is of the greatest utility, not 

 only to the physical wants of man, but to his moral 

 well-being, at least when as he too seldom does 

 he not only sees, but also observes. 



In all other divisions of animated nature, man 

 finds numerous enemies to his existence, and 

 many impediments to his peace and comfort. 

 Among the quadrupeds, there are those that 

 threaten him with instant annihilation ; and the 

 ocean swarms with monsters, over whom man ab- 

 surdly boasts dominion, while he is unable to con- 

 tend either with their voracity or their strength. 

 Nor is the danger less that he encounters from 

 the insect world, the individuals of which, though 

 small, nay, often scarcely visible to the naked 

 eye, yet convey their venom to his blood, and 

 even acquire " a local habitation" in his very 

 flesh, and deprive him of life by the mutiplica- 

 tion of their species, and the irritation caused by 

 their presence. Among plants, also, he frequent- 

 ly finds a bane for which he knows no antidote ; 

 but among the feathered tribe he ever meets 

 with friends. In whatever situation he may be, 

 a bird is never a foe ; its presence indicates to 

 the anxious manner the approach of land, and 

 to the famished traveller, when not too proud to 

 avail himself of the hint, or too lazy to observe 

 the practical lesson it affords, a bird will point out 

 the food of which he may fearlessly partake. The 



