Vermont farmer. [volume] (Newport, Orleans County, Vt.) 1870-1877, 1875-09-10
The Animal Kingdom.

We have spoken OF carniverous birds
whose dispositions, habits aud peculiar phys.
ical organizations seem to indicate that the
Creator designed that they should live by
the destruction OF other species. This seems
strange and yet it is true. The entire ami
NAL world is so constituted. The inhabitants
of the ocean subsist upon each other aud the
insect world. The fowls of the air aud the
beasts Of the field are dependent upon the
destruction Of life for their own subsistence.
And even man claims the ocean as his fish.
ing-pond," and the land as his "hunting
ground" in search of food for the race. So
God has ordained, and it we fail TO compre-
bend the fact, or to see the wisdom and
benevolence Of such plan, it will be only
because our imperfect vision cannot pene-
trate the subject. HIt
Water birds are divided, as we have seen,
into waders and swimmers Waders have
long legs, long necks, and in some instances,
long bills. Many have divided toes, but
some are web.iooted g ranes, bltterus, cur
lews and snipes are of this class. Swimmers
are distinguished from their neghbors, by
short legs, webbed feet, moderately long
necks, and broad, fiat bills. Their feet are
placed far back upon the body, and for what
purpose, except that they may paddle them
selves more swiftly through the water ? No
other class Of birds have this arrangement,
except the. swimmers. None have long legs
except the wadcrs. The web foot is peculiar
to the swimmers, except that kind which
both wade and swim. Another popularity
in swimmers they are not only covered
with feathers, like other birds but they have
an additional coat Of down next the skin.
And for what other purpose than to fit them
for their peculiar habits Of life A? They live
almost entirely in the water, aud often at a
great distance from the land. Their food
consists Of roots, seagrass, and shell-6sh
Some dive to the bottom for their food 9TH
ers pick it up upon the shore. Ducks, geese
and peuguins represent this class. These
classes are marked by Distinguishing Charac-
teristics, yet when we come to the dividing
line, the transition is so gradual that we may
mistake the one for the other. For instance,
the crow and jay though they do not have
hooked bills and sharp claws like the hawk
sometimes destroy small animals and eat
their flesh. The darter and rail both swim
in the water, though the one has a long neck
and sharp bill aud the other, toes divided t.
their roots.
And the same gradual passage from one
kind to the other is observed also among the
land birds in reference TO their food. Severa
kinds eat seeds and flesh, thus representing
both the granverous and carnivcrous. There
are indeed, no abrupt divisions between the
different divisions Of the feathered tribes
And there are none in nature, either between
races or kingdoms; from the lowest to thu
highest we observe one continuous ascending
series with almost imperceptible transitions
from one to the other. The mineral king
dom is distinct and peculiar, but it runs far
into the vegetable and animal kingdom, and
forms an important part of both. Even maj
has iron in his body, if he has not an "irou
constitution" And who can tell exactly
where the mineral ends aud the vegetable
begins And whore does vegetable end, aud
the mineral begin Is the sponge plant o.
animal Who dares to decide the question
And the transition of tho animal races is SC
gradual from the oyster to man, that some
scientists doubt whether themselves are no
a species of bAboon Be it so the Christian
still looks for higher destiny. Ind &c,
there is a oneness in all nature, though com
posed Of innumerable parts, and
; "Whateyer link you strike.
Teath, or ten thousandth, breaks the chain alike
|