10 HISTORY OF 



smell them, and consequently fly away. The 

 universality of this practice puts the necessity of 

 it beyond a doubt, and proves the extreme deli- 

 cacy of the sense of smelling, at least in this spe- 

 cies of the feathered creation. 



Next to the parts for flight, let us view the 

 legs and feet ministering to motion. They are 

 both made light, for the easier transportation 

 through the air. The toes in some are webbed, 

 to fit them for the waters; in others they are 

 separate, for the better holding objects, or cling- 

 ing to trees for safety. Such as have long legs 

 have also long necks, as otherwise they would be 

 incapable of gathering up their food, either by 

 land or water. But it does not hold, however, 

 that those which have long necks should have 

 long legs, since we see that swans and geese, 

 whose necks are extremely long, have very short 

 legs, and these chiefly employed in swimming. 



Thus every external part hitherto noticed ap- 

 pears adapted to the life and situation of the ani- 

 mal ; nor are the inward parts, though less imme- 

 diately appropriated to flight, less necessary to 

 safety. The bones of every part of the body are 

 extremely light and thin ; and all the muscles, 

 except that immediately moving the wings, ex- 

 tremely slight and feeble. The tail, which is 

 composed of quill feathers, serves to counterba- 

 lance the head and neck ; it guides the animal's 

 flight like a rudder, and greatly assists it either 

 in its ascent or when descending. 



If we go on to examine birds internally, we 

 shall find the same wonderful conformation fitting 



