BRITISH BIRDS. 
128 
be beft feen in the defcription of each particular kind. 
It may be neceffary however to obferve, that they 
naturally divide themfelves into two diftinfr kinds, 
namely, the hard- billed or feed birds, and the {lender 
or foft-billed birds ; the former are furnifhed with 
flout bills of a conical fhape, and very Iharp at the 
point, admirably fitted for the purpofe of breaking 
the hard external coverings of the feeds of plants 
from the kernels, which conftitute the principal 
part of their food ; the latter are remarkable for 
the foftnefs and delicacy of their bills ; their food 
confifts altogether of fmall worms, infe&s, -the 
larvae of infects and their eggs, which they find de- 
pofited in immenfe profufion on the leaves and 
bark of trees, in chinks and crevices of ftones, and 
even in fmall maffes on the bare ground, fo that 
there is hardly a portion of matter that does not 
contain a plentiful fupply of food for this diligent 
race of beings. 
“ Full nature fwarms with life 5 
<c The flowery leaf 
Wants not its foft inhabitants. Secure 
6i Within its winding citadel, the ftone 
Holds multitudes. But chief the foreft-boughs, 
« That dance unnumber’d to the playful breeze, 
66 The downy orchard, and the melting pulp 
“ Of mellow fruit, the namelefs nations feed 
si Of evanefcent infers. 3 * 
