











‘90 THE NATURAL HISTORY 
tle.—T hefe infects would be very painful to them, 
when they increafed to great numbers. 
Ravens and Crows live upon carrion, that is to 
fay, upon dead carcafies, which men do not eat, if 
Thefe carcafles would foon fmell difagreeably, and | 
in hot countries ‘nfeG the air, and perhaps make 
the inhabitants die, if they were not devoured by 
the Ravens and Crows. ee 
We ought to thank that good Being too, for 
having taught the Rooks to feed upon the worms. 
and larvee, which live under the furface of the — 
earth 5 otherwife, they might increale fo faft as 
to eat up all the corn, and then there would be 
nothing left to make bread for us. 
The covering of the Magpie’s neft, fhews the | 
kind care of that good Being from whom it learnt | 
thus to preferve its young from birds of prey. 
How wonderfully are the tails of the Nutcracker, 
the Woodpecker, and of other birds contrived, to | 
afitt them in climbing trees; ecaufe they are 
obliged to run up them in fearch of infects. A 
Hehas taught the Orioles to hang their nefts. | 
at the ends of the flighteft boughs, to fecure them, | 
from Monkies and Serpents. 
The Cuckoo in Africa cannot procure honey 
himfelf; therefore that good Being has directed - 
him to feek the affiftanee of man. 
The 
