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gradually and imperceptibly declines, exactly in the ratio of the necessity; till it is no longer required, when it ceases altogether, and the offspring are left to shift for themselves. So wise, so regular, so unerring are the laws which govern this beautiful creation.

In some remote countries, where, haply, the poor birds are so distant from their grand enemy, man, as to be but little acquainted with his power, or malignity; instances occur of their occasionally suffering him to approach their nests, without exhibiting any marks of fear, or moving off, and even to lift them from their eggs with his hands. Even in our own remotest islands of the north I have sometimes met with birds in this situation, so unacquainted with the form and character of man, as to allow me to remove them from their nests in my hands. I have done this several times with the common red grous, tetrao scoticus, redbreasted merganser, mergus serrator, and the eider-duck, anas mollissima.

On such occasions the hapless birds ap

peared as if suddenly awoke from a trance; -they seemed utterly astonished, and were, for a considerable time, wholly incapable of exertion, or of making any attempt to escape; and, when set down upon the ground, at some little distance from the nest, instead of flying off in terror, as might have been expected, they instantly rushed back to their darling treasure, and cowered down upon their eggs with increased closeness and assiduity.

A circumstance witnessed by a friend of mine, in the vicinity of Edinburgh, may illustrate this matter still further. A sailor boy, belonging to a certain vessel that lay at anchor in Leith Roads, happened to find a nest of the eider-duck, anas mollissima, in a small island of the Frith of Forth, which he robbed. As he was walking off with the eggs, his surprise was excited by observing the disconsolate mother waddling after him as fast as she was able. In order to amuse himself, and try the force of the bird's affection, the little urchin placed the eggs promiscuously on the ground; and, though

close to his feet, they were immediately covered by the unhappy bird. He next carried them into the small boat that was to convey him to his ship, and the poor bird still pursued her treasure. At length they reached the vessel, and the duck was actually decoyed on board, quite unmindful of the noisy sailors by whom she was surrounded; who, however, so far pitied her case, as to permit her to sit upon her darling eggs, for a while, in peace; but, unfortu nately, she was discovered by a little rascal on board, who tied a cord to one of her legs, and amused himself by swimming her round the ship till she was drowned!

CHAP. XI.

On the Change of Matter that is continually taking place throughout the Animal, Vegetable, and Mineral King, doms.

In the course of this little work I have several times made allusion to the change which every one must observe to take place, at some time or another, in all visible bodies, in or upon this earth, whatever their organization may be. With respect to this globe, it is evident that nothing is fixed, or stationary, and that nothing is lost; and that, whatever may have been the grand design of OMNIPOTENCE in forming that beautiful creation which covers its surface; it is certain, that the peculiar properties of all its parts tend to the good of the whole. To find in what manner the propensities of the locomotive, or the qualities of the more stationary, parts contribute towards that

good, is an employment worthy of deep attention, and a subject from which the Naturalist, in particular, may expect to derive abundant light and instruction.

The subject, however, is difficult; and I make few or no pretensions to the physiological character, as it is understood in these times. It requires long and patient investigation to ascertain the exact manner in which matter, under any animal or vegetable form, is changed, and the immediate cause or object of that change, with precision and truth. Yet the subject is of the deepest interest, and of the highest importance. If, therefore, a single hint, by which new discoveries can be made, is thrown out in this chapter, I shall be well rewarded for the boldness with which I have ventured into the dark and intricate mazes of this difficult branch of Natural Philosophy.

Whether the soul of man, after death, lies nearly evanescent in a minute particle of earth, the wreck and residuum of his corporeal frame, till a certain period ap

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