mnns. 13 



Variety of foodCruel experiments. 



own parent, generally disregarding the notes of 

 all the rest. Persons, however, who have an ac- 

 curate ear, and have studied the notes of differ- 

 ent birds, can frequently distinguish some that 

 have a song mixed with those of another species. 

 The food of birds is, of course, very different in 

 the different kinds. Some are altogether carni- 

 vorous ; others subsist on fish ; some on insects and 

 worms, and many on fruits or grain. ^ The extra- 

 ordinary powers of the gizzard in the granivorous 

 tribes, in comminuting their hard food, so as to 

 prepare it for digestion, would appear incredible, 

 were they not supported by incontrovertible facts 

 founded on experiment. In order to ascertain 

 the strength of these stomachs, the ingenious 

 Spallanzani made several cruel, though interest- 

 ing, experiments. Tin tubes, full of grain were 

 forced in the stomachs of turkeys; and after re- 

 maining twenty hours, were found to be broken, 

 compressed, and distorted in the most irregular 

 manner. The stomach of a cock, in the space of 

 twenty-four hours, broke off the angles of a piece 

 of rough jagged glass; and, upon examining 

 the gizzard, no wound or laceration appeared. 

 Twelve strong tin needles were firmly fixed in a 

 ball of lead, with their points projecting about a 

 quarter of an inch from the surface; thus armed, 

 it was covered with a case of paper, and forced 

 down the throat of a turkey : the bird retained it 

 a day and a half without exhibiting the least 

 symptom of uneasiness: the point* of all the 



