General '-Remarks, S^-f. 



in (he West Indies, (lie undermandible of the bill being 

 about t*vo inches longer than the upper. It is said to 

 skim along the surface of the sea, many leagues from 

 Land alternately dipping its bill into the waves for the 

 capture of its prey. The Loxia also has in general the 

 upper and lower mandible of the bill crossing each other 

 for the convenient purpose of breaking open the core of 

 different sorts of nuts, for which end it is admirably 

 adopted. 



Birds are distinguished chiefly from other animals 

 by the following singularities. In the circumstance of 

 their anatomy, they may be described when flying, as 

 a ship having wings for oars, a bill resembling a bow- 

 sprit, its breast bone the keel, the legs and feet seem to 

 be the only part not employed, but these hang down 

 and answer for ballast to keep the vessel steady, and 

 lastly the tail is a rudder of the best kind, to steer its 

 passage through the ambient air. The neck is made 

 beautiful and soft in its texture by the interposition of 

 silky hairs placed amongst the feathers, and the quills 

 of the wings gradually increases in their size from the 

 origin to the extremity, and are capable by different 

 joints, of being folded up closely to the body and serves 

 to keep it warm, but the most remarkable conformation 

 of all is in their bill, which answers the purpose of mouth 

 and nose. 



The Golden Eagle has been generally esteemed the.- 

 sovereign of the feathered tribe, the dignity and majesty of 

 its form are strongly indicated by his large and muscular 

 neck, his powerful talons and broad spreading wings made 

 him an object of admiration in ancient times, and the 

 Romans adopted its image as the great standard for their 

 armies, and the emblem of supreme power. 



If the size and strength are to be supposed to constitute 

 the superior claim to the title of king of the birds, perhaps 



