Part IL in the Creation. 37 i 



2. This vaft Multitude of Infeds is ufeful to 

 Mankind, if not immediately, yet mediately. It 

 -Cannot be deny'd tlmt Birds are of great tFfe to 

 us, their Flefli affording us a good Part of our 

 Food, and that the molt delicate too, and their 

 other Parts Phyfick, not excepting their very Ex- 

 crements 'y their Feathers ferve to iluff our Beds 

 and Pillows, yielding us foft and warm Lodging, 

 which is no fmall Convenience and Comfort to 

 us,efpeGlally in thefe northern Parts of the World ; 

 fome of them have alfo been always employed by 

 military Men in Plumes, to adorn their Crefts, and 

 render them formidable to their Enemies ; their 

 Wings and Quills are made ufe of for writing- 

 Pens, and to bru{h and cleanfe our Rooms, and 

 their Furniture ; befides, by their melodious Ac- 

 cents they gratify our Ears ; by their beautiful 

 Shapes and Colours they delight our Eyes, being 

 very ornamental to the World, and rehdring the 

 Countpy, where the Hedges and Woods are full 

 of thenhf, very pleafant and chearly, which with- 

 out them would be no lefs lonely and melancho- 

 ly J not to mention the Exercife, Diveriion and 

 Recreation v^^hich fome of them give us. 



Now Infedsfupply Land Birds with the chiefeft 

 Part of their Suftenance ; fome, as the entire Genu^ 

 of Swallows, live wholly upon them, as I could 

 eafily make out did any Man deny or doubt of it ; 

 and not Swallows alone, but alfo Wood-peckers, if 

 riot wholly, yet chiefly 5 and all other Sorts of 

 Birds partly, efpecially in Winter-time, as appears 

 by diffedtine their Stomachs. 



" B b 2 As 



