INTRODUCTION. 
xxi 
ypung, by a profufion of caterpillars, fmall worms, and infedls, 
with which every part of the vegetable world abounds ; which is 
by this means preferved from total definition, contrary to the 
commonly received opinion, that birds, particularly Sparrows, 
do much mifchief in deftroying the labours of the gardener and 
the hufbandman. It ha# been obferved, “ that a fingle pair of 
Sparrows, during the time they are feeding their young, will 
deftroy about four thoufand caterpillars weekly ; they likewife 
feed their young with butterflies and other winged infe&s, each 
of which, if not deftroyed in this manner, would be productive 
of feveral hundreds of caterpillars,” Swallows are almoft con- 
tinually upon the wing, and in their curious winding flights de- 
flroy immenfe quantities of flies and other infects which are con- 
tinually floating in the air, and which, if not deftroyed by thefe 
birds, would render it unfit for the purpofes of life and health. 
That active little bird, the Tomtit, which has generally been 
fuppofed ho Rile to the young and tender buds which appear in 
the fpring, when attentively obferved, may be fcen running up 
and down amongft the branches, and picking the fmall worms 
which are concealed in the bloffoms, and which would effectual- 
ly deftroy the fruit. As the feafon advances, various other 
fmall birds, fuch as the Redbreaft, Wren, Winter Fauvette or 
Hedge -fparrow, Whitethroat, Redftart, &c. are all engaged in 
the fame ufeful work, and may be obferved examining every 
leaf, and feeding upon the infects which they find beneath them. 
—Thefe are a few inftances of that fuperintending providential 
care, which is continually exerted in preferving the various ranks 
and orders of beings in the fcale of animated Nature ; and al- 
though it is permitted that myriads of individuals fhould every 
moment be deftroyed, not a fingle fpecies is loft, but every link 
of the great chain remains unbroken 
Great Britain produces a more abundant variety of birds than 
moft northern countries, owing to the various condition of 
our lands, from the higheft Hate of cultivation to that of the 
wildeft, moft mountainous, and woody. The great quantities 
b3 
