THE KING-FISHER. 117 



ends. It is so loud as to be heard to the distance of 

 half a mile or more, though it seems to be within a few 

 rods of the hearer. > 



The more we study the works of creation, as pre- 

 sented in the different kinds of animals, the more we 

 shall be convinced that there was a design in forming 

 each one for the peculiar mode of life which it lives. 



If we particularly examine the bird, whose history 

 is given above, we shall be struck with the fact, that 

 every part of him is formed exactly for the kind of life 

 which he leads. His bill is strong, hard, and polished* 

 so as to enter the wood with the greatest ease ; his 

 head is large and heavy, answering all the purposes of 

 a hammer; his neck is longer than most land birds, by 

 which the greater force is given to his head ; his claws 

 are sharp, and placed, two forward, and two backward, 

 in the best position for grasping, or holding on to the 

 side of a tree, and climbing ; his tongue is long, hard, 

 pointed, and barbed, for the purpose of drawing his 

 food from the cavities of the wood, and his eyes are 

 sharp and piercing, and so placed as that he can look 

 directly forward to the point of his bill, and see the 

 smallest insect under the bark of the tree. 



THE KItfG-FISHER. 



The King-fisher tribe frequent the banks of rivers, 

 and the shores of lakes and ponds. They live on 

 small fish, which, diving down, they catch with much 

 dexterity. Their bills are sharp at the end, and are 



11* 



