that the minutest things in nature are appointed

to some particular end and purpose, and that the Deity is as conspicuous in the structure of a fly's 'wing, as he is in the bright globe of the sun itself.' I cannot give you a much stronger proof of this, than by quoting a passage from Derham's Physico-Theology, a book which will both delight and instruct you. Speaking of the formation of insects, he says, 'It is 'an amazing thing to reflect upon the surprising 'minuteness, art, and curiosity, of the joints, muscles, ' tendons, and nerves, necessary to perform all the 'motions of the legs, the wings, and every other 'part; and all these things concur in minute animals, even in the smallest mite and animalcule; and ⚫ having named these animals, why should I mention only one part of their bodies, when we have in that little compass a whole and complete body, as exquisitely formed, and (as far as our scrutiny can 'possibly reach) as neatly adorned, as the largest 'animals? Let us consider that there we have eyes, a brain, a mouth, a stomach, entrails, and every other part of an animal body, as well as legs and ❝ feet, and that all those parts have each of them their 'necessary apparatus of nerves, of various muscles, and every other part that other insects have, and that all is covered and guarded with a well-made tegument, beset with bristles and adorned with neat 'imbrications, and many other fineries.'

It appears almost impossible that any attentive

observer of this exquisite workmanship should not be compelled to acknowledge that it is produced by, and is worthy of, a great, all-powerful, and benevolent Creator, who had some good and wise purpose to answer in everything he did; and surely, when this conviction is once firmly impressed upon your mind, you will find infinite pleasure and gratification in making diligent researches into the works of Nature; convinced as I am that the further your inquiries are carried, the more cause you will have to be delighted with the study, and to acknowledge that the hand which made all these things must be divine,

Another inducement I would hold out to you for the prosecution of this study, is the pleasure you will derive in your solitary walks and rides, from observing the manners and habits of those birds and insects which may fall in your way. An incurious person passes by them, as it were, with his eyes closed; while an attentive observer, and a lover of Nature, has his time and his thoughts delightfully occupied in the contemplation of every insect which crosses his path, and of every bird which he sees near him. He hopes either to find in each of them something heretofore unnoticed, or to admire the beautiful symmetry and elegance of their external appearance, and their different manners and mode of living. Such observations I would recommend you to write down from time to time, however trivial they may appear to some persons. Your diary will always be a source of

amusement to you, and one from which, no doubt, some new or useful information may be derived, as it is quite impossible that any one man alone can investigate the works of Nature; and it is only, therefore, by the united observations of different persons, that those more accurate discoveries can be made, and fresh anecdotes obtained, which are necessary to form a correct natural history. It is to a similar diary of remarks that we are indebted for one of the most delightful books in the English language— I allude to Mr. White's Natural History of Selborne; a work which, whether we consider the useful information it contains, or the elegant and agreeable manner in which it is written, has, and will continue to afford, pleasure and gratification to every lover of Nature, as long as her works have power to charm.' I cannot conclude these introductory observations better than by quoting what he says on this his favourite study.

6

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These pursuits, by keeping the body and mind 'employed, have, under Providence, contributed to ⚫ much health and cheerfulness of spirits, even to old

age, and have led me to the knowledge of a circle

of gentlemen whose intelligent communications have

́ ́afforded me much pleasing information.'

'He cheerly sings,

"And trusts with conscious pride his downy wings;
'Still louder breathes, and in the face of day

'Mounts up.'

I HAVE found it of infinite use, in the course of my observations on the habits and manners of animals, never to lose sight of the principle, which I hold to be an invariable one, that every created being is formed in the best possible manner, with reference to its peculiar habits, either for self-preservation, or for procuring its food; and that nothing is given to it but what is intended to answer some good and useful purpose, however unable we may be to account for what may appear to us ill-contrived or unnecessary.

With this conviction, I have for some time past been endeavouring to assign a use for the remarkable and, indeed, what appears disproportionate length of the claws of the skylark, and it lately afforded me no small gratification to think that I had discovered the purposes for which it is furnished with them. That they were not intended to enable the bird to search the earth for food, or to fix itself more securely on the branches of trees, is evident, as they neither scratch the ground nor roost on trees.

The lark makes its nest generally in grass fields, where it is liable to be injured either by cattle grazing over it, or by the mower. In case of alarm from

either these or other causes, the parent birds remove their eggs, by means of their long claws, to a place of greater security; and this transportation I have observed to be effected in a very short space of time. By placing a lark's egg, which is rather large in proportion to the size of the bird, in the foot, and then drawing the claws over it, you will perceive that they are of sufficient length to secure the egg firmly, and by this means the bird is enabled to convey its eggs to another place, where she can sit upon and hatch them*.

When one of my mowers first told me that he had observed the fact, I was somewhat disinclined to credit it; but I have since ascertained it beyond a doubt, and now mention it as another strong proof of that order in the economy of Nature, by means of which this affectionate bird is enabled to secure its forthcoming offspring. I call it affectionate, because few birds show a stronger attachment to their young +.

While on the subject of larks, I will mention another curious circumstance respecting them. I have often strained my eyes in watching them while

* It was observed to me that these long claws of the lark might be intended to answer a double purpose-that of enabling the bird to walk with more ease on the grass where it frequently harbours.

Since this was written, I have had a further opportunity of observing the fact respecting the larks removing their eggs; and a friend informs me that, when he was recently in Scotland, a shepherd mentioned having witnessed the same circumstance.