104 BRITISH BIRDS. 



THE birds of this group are distinguished by 

 their lively and active dispositions, their beautiful 

 plumage, and delightful melody. Of this order 

 consist those numerous families, which, universally 

 diffused throughout every part of the known world, 

 people the woods, the fields, and the margins of 

 rivers, and every where enliven, diversify, and 

 adorn the face of nature. These are not less 

 conspicuous for their usefulness, than for their 

 numbers and variety : they are of infinite advantage 

 in the economy of nature, in destroying myriads of 

 noxious insects, which w r ould otherwise teem in 

 every part of the animal and vegetable systems, 

 and would pervade and choke up all the avenues of 

 life and health. 



The characters of this order, which are as various 

 as their habits and dispositions, will be best seen 

 in the description of each particular species. The 

 greater number of them are remarkable for the 

 softness and delicacy of their bills; several of the 

 species feed occasionally on berries, but their food 

 consists principally of small worms, insects, the 

 larvae and eggs of insects, which they find de- 

 posited in immense profusion on the leaves and 

 bark of trees, in chinks and crevices of stones, and 



* This order consists of the following British genera, viz., Lanius, 

 Muscicapa, Turdus, Cinclus, Sylvia, Saxicola, Accentor, Motacilla r 

 Anthus. 



