34 HISTORY OF 



manifest to those who have the care of hawks. 

 But a still more surprising instance of this was 

 seen some time ago in London : a canary bird 

 was taught to pick up the letters of the alphabet, 

 at the word of command, so as to spell any per- 

 son's name in company ; and this the little animal 

 did by motions from its master, which were im- 

 perceptible to every other spectator. Upon the 

 whole, however, they are inferior to quadrupeds 

 in docility, and seem more mechanically impelled 

 by all the power of instinct. 



CHAPTER III. 



OF THE DIVISION OF BIRDS. 



THOUGH birds are fitted for sporting in air, yet 

 as they find their food upon the surface of the 

 earth, there seems a variety equal to the different 

 aliments with which it tends to supply them. 

 The flat and burning desert, the rocky cliff, the 

 extensive fen, the stormy ocean, as well as the 

 pleasing landscape, have all their peculiar inhabi- 

 tants. The most obvious distinction therefore 

 of birds, is into those that live by land, and those 

 that live by water; or, in other words, into land 

 birds, and water-Jowl. 



It is no difficult matter to distinguish land from 

 water-fowl by the legs and toes. All land birds 

 have their toes divided, without any membrane 

 or web between them ; and their legs and feet 



