a8 THE NATURAL HISTORY 
The Flamingo’s legs are of an unufual length 
that he-may wade in the water, butvhis neck js _ 
long in proportion, that he may readily feed him. 
felf: and as he lives upon fmall fith, the fpawn of 
fith, and aquatic infects, that is to fay, infects that 
are found in the water, his beak is toothed, that 
he may filter the water and yet keep in his food, 
If the Flamingo was to make its neft, and fit 
like many other birds, its legs would be much in 
the ‘way. Providence therefore has taught it to 
raife a cone of mud, and to place its eggs ina 
hollow on the top, fo that its legs hang down on | 
each fide. | 
The Spoonbill, the Screamer, the Jabiru, the 
Heron, the Crane, the Stork, and the Ibis, are of 
great ufe in deftroying ferpents, and many venom+ _ 
ous reptiles, which otherwife would increafe fo 
 faft as to be hurtful to mankind. For this reafon 
we fee that thefe birds are very much efteemed in | 
the countries which they inhabit, and in general 
no perfons are allowed to deitroy them. a 
How wonderful too is the migration of the | 
Woodcocks, how well are they. taught to confult. 
thofe winds which affift them info long a-flight, 1 
how attentive are they to their young, in helping’ 
them to efcape when they are purfued! their eyes 
are placed very far back in their head, fo that — 
they 

