ON PRESERVING BIRDS. 399 

 sparrow will retain its wonted pertness, by means of Preserving 



1 - 1 • M T 1 T 1 Birds. 



placmg his tail a little elevated, and giving a moderate 



arch to the neck. Your vulture will show his sluggish 

 habits, by having his body nearly parallel to the earth ; 

 his wings somewhat drooping, and their extremities 

 under the tail, instead of above it, — expressive of ignoble 

 indolence. 



Your dove will be in artless, fearless innocence ; 

 looking mildly at you, with its neck, not too much, 

 stretched, as if uneasy in its situation ; or drawn too 

 close into the shoulders, like one wishing to avoid a dis- 

 covery ; but in moderate, perpendicular length, support- 

 ing the head horizontally, which will set olf the breast to 

 the best advantage. And the breast ought to be con- 

 spicuous, and have this attention paid to it ; for when a 

 young lady is sweet and gentle in her manners ; kind 

 and affable to those around her ; when her eyes stand in 

 tears of pity for the woes of others, and she puts a small 

 portion of what Providence has blessed her with into 

 the hand of imploring poverty and hunger, then we say, 

 she has the breast of a turtle dove. 



You will observe how beautifully the feathers of a bird The fea- 

 thers. 



are arranged ; one falling over the other in nicest order ; 

 and that, where this charming harmony is interrupted, 

 the defect, though not noticed by an ordinary spectator, 

 will appear immediately to the eye of a naturalist. Thus, 

 a bird not wounded, and in perfect feather, must be 



