200 A COUNTRY READER. 



The Formation and Flight of Birds. 



The great laws of God work on, and they 

 slowly but surely adapt all things to fit into 

 their appointed places, the animals to walk the 

 earth, the insects to buzz through the air, the 

 birds to soar, fly, and swim. 



Birds are warm-blooded and breathe by lungs, 

 and in order that they may fly to the best advan- 

 tage and escape danger, they are covered with 

 feathers and have no teeth, but a horny beak. 

 Their bones are hollow and filled with air, and 

 when they begin to fly their lungs force the air 

 into these hollow bones, which enables them to 

 rise into the air with greater ease. 



The body is firm, especially the hinder part 

 which is quite unmoveable, but in order that the 

 bird may obtain an all round vision, so necessary 

 to capture its insect food and to see the approach 

 of danger, the neck can be turned quickly in 

 many directions. 



The body, as you know, is covered with thick 

 long feathers, underneath which and hidden from 

 view is short soft down. The feet are adapted 

 for quick, delicate, firm perching. 



A bird's wings are really forelegs modified 

 into wings, and if the wing be dissected, 

 the parts found in an animal's foreleg can be 

 recognised. 



