ON THE INSTINCTS OF BIRDS. 1% 
tions. The Goatsucker and the Hedgehog are falsely 
accused of sucking the teats of animals; and those 
beautiful and harmless reptiles the Common Snake 
and Blindworm are destroyed without pity, upon 
the groundless supposition that they are venomous. 
These are a few instances only, selected from many 
that have fallen under my own observation, of the 
pernicious consequences which result from an ignor- 
ance of that useful portion of natural history which 
at present engages our consideration. 
We will now proceed to notice briefly some of the 
numerous advantages to be derived from a success- 
ful cultivation of that delightful study; and a cor- 
rection of the above-mentioned errors and abuses, 
with the needless waste of life which it would pre- 
vent, is not among the least of them. For the 
preservation of our persons and property from those 
creatures by which they are liable to be injured, for 
the best methods of promoting the increase, improv- 
ing the condition, and effecting the subjection of such 
as contribute to our benefit or amusement, and for 
the skilful management of our valuable reclaimed 
and domestic animals, which supply us with so many 
comforts and luxuries, we must depend, in a great. 
measure, upon our knowledge of their habits, man- 
ners, and propensities. ‘To this knowledge, also, the 
practical physiologist is indebted for the means of 
enlarging his acquaintance with the phenomena of 
life; the scientific naturalist, and particularly the 
