INTRODUCTION. xL 



that the stones so often found in the stomachs of many of 

 the feathered tribes, are highly useful in comminuting grain 

 and other hard substances which constitute their food. 

 " The stones," says the celebrated Mr. Hunter, " assist in 

 grinding down the grain, and, by separating its parts, allow 

 the gastric juices to come more readily into contact with 

 it." Thus far the conclusion coincides with the experi- 

 ments which have just been related. We may observe still 

 further, that stones thus taken into the stomachs of birds, 

 are seldonrknown to pass with the faeces, but being ground 

 down and separated by the powerful action of the gizzard, 

 are mixed with the food, and, no doubt, contribute essen- 

 tially to the health of the animal. 



Granivorous birds partake much of the nature and dispo- 

 sition of herbivorous quadrupeds. In both, the number of 

 their stomachs, the length and capacity of their intestines, 

 and the quality of their food, are very similar; they are like- 

 wise both distinguished by the gentleness of their tempers 

 and manners. Contented with the seeds of plants, with 

 fruits, insects, and worms, their chief attention is directed 

 to procuring food, hatching and rearing their offspring, and 

 avoiding the snares of men, and the attacks of birds of prey, 

 and other rapacious animals. They are a mild and gentle 

 race, and are in general so tractable as easily to be domesti- 

 cated. Man, attentive and watchful to every thing condu- 

 cive to his interest, has not failed to avail himself of these 

 dispositions, and has judiciously selected from the numbers 

 which every way surround him, those which are most pro- 

 lific, and consequently most profitable: of these the Hen, 

 the Goose, the Turkey, and the Duck are the most consider- 

 able, and form an inexhaustible store of rich, wholesome, 

 and nutritious food. 



Carnivorous birds are distinguished by those endowments 

 and powers with which they are furnished by Nature for the 

 purpose of procuring their food: they are provided with 

 wings of great length, the muscles which move them being 



