OF CURIOSITY. 173 
them, and thefe not only delight us with their 
fine fongs but afford us moft delicate food. 
The nettle is a plant which is fcarcely eat by any 
domeftic animal (Iter. Scand, p. 15.) but the 
Author of nature has allotted to it more feed- 
ers than to almoft any other plant, v. gr. but - 
terfiies , moths , w evils, chermes , &c. which de- 
vour it almoft entirely, and thefe infers are a 
prey to many birds, which could by no means 
live on the plant immediately. Minute aquatic 
vo or ms, and thofe in no fmall number are eat 
by the larger, and thefe are eat by the fifties, 
and aquatic birds, and thefe by us ; and befides 
food thefe birds fupply us with moft delicate 
foft down to warm and repofe ourfelves upon. 
It would be tedious to enumerate all the me- 
diate advantages, which we obtain from the 
moft contemptible; as they are deemed; both 
plants and animals. 
§• 6 . 
Many look upon /hells, and corals of various 
Idnds, which are colle&ed and ranged in mu- 
feums'by the diligent inquirers into nature, as 
an idle curiofity ; fince they neither ferve, for 
food or phyfic ; but if thefe are negle6ted, how 
many of the wonderfull works of the Creator 
would 
