{"collection":"scripture-revelation","full_text_available":true,"graph_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/v2/api/page/gutenberg_65139/graph","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/v2/page/gutenberg_65139","id":"gutenberg_65139","license":"Public Domain (US)","rights_basis":"gutenberg_metadata_copyright_false","source":"gutenberg","source_url":"https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/65139","summary":null,"tags":["Birds -- Juvenile literature","Category: Children & Young Adult Reading","Category: Nature/Gardening/Animals","Category: Religion/Spirituality","Children -- Conduct of life -- Juvenile literature","Christian life -- Juvenile literature"],"text":"[Illustration]\n\n                                 HISTORY\n                                   OF\n                                  BIRDS\n\n                                 LONDON:\n                    _Printed by Knight and Bagster_,\n                         14, Bartholomew Close.\n\n                          FOR J. DAVIS, No. 56,\n                            PATERNOSTER-ROW.\n\n                                                33\n\n\n[Illustration]\n\nThe OSTRICH leaves its eggs in the desert, and if it goes far away,\nit cannot find them again. In the Bible, cruel and forgetful people\nare compared to the Ostrich. It is a large bird, and runs very swiftly\nwhen pursued, and if it finds a bush it hides its head, and thinks that\nbecause it does not see its pursuers, they cannot see it. The Ostrich may\nremind us of ourselves, as we are by nature inclined to be unkind and\nforgetful, and to act as if we thought God did not see us.\n\n\n[Illustration]\n\nThe EAGLE is a bird of prey; it is violent and strong, yet we read that\nit obeys the command of God, (Job xxxix. 27.) and that he uses it to\npunish those who disobey him. (Prov. xxx. 17.) Thus God often makes use\nof wicked people, to punish others who despise his word. The text in\nProverbs, mentioned above, teaches us that God will punish those who are\ndisobedient to their parents: I hope my little readers will remember\nthis.\n\n\n[Illustration]\n\nThe PEACOCK is very vain, and proud of its fine feathers. I suppose that\nlittle girl is proud of her finery, and the little boy tells her she is\nlike the Peacock. In the book of Job, we are reminded that it was God\nwho gave the Peacock its beautiful feathers, (c. xxxix. v. 13.) Children\nshould remember that they have nothing of their own to be proud of,\nthat every thing they possess is given them by God, and they should be\nthankful to him for all his mercies.\n\n\n[Illustration]\n\nThe GOOSE is generally thought a silly bird, but I am sure that little\nboy and girl who are so mischievous as to frighten the geese, are much\nmore silly. Any person who observes geese closely, will find that they\nshew many proofs of being wiser than they are supposed to be; so you will\noften find among your little companions, that those who appear to be\ndull, are superior in many things to others who seem to be very sharp and\nclever.\n\n\n[Illustration]\n\nThe SWALLOW is a bird of passage. It is part of the year in one country,\nand the other part in another country. In the Bible, we read that the\nSwallow observes the time of its coming, but man knows not the judgment\nof the Lord. The Swallows go from one country to another exactly at the\ntime which God has appointed as best for them, but although we are told\nin the Bible what is the will of God, and find that nothing else can make\nus happy, yet we continually forget it, and so fall into sin, and meet\nwith many troubles.\n\n\n[Illustration]\n\nThe QUAIL is a small bird, and very pleasant to eat. The Israelites\nwere tired of the manna which God sent them for food, and desired flesh\nwithout remembering that he knew what was best for them. But though their\nrequest was granted, we read that the wrath of the Lord was kindled\nagainst them, and he smote them with a great plague, so that many died.\nWhen you pray for what you desire to have, always remember that God knows\nwhat is better for you than you do yourself, and intreat him not to give\nit, unless it is right for you to have it.\n\n\n[Illustration]\n\nThe PARROT is a chattering bird; it can say many words, but cannot at all\nunderstand the meaning of what it says. I have often seen Parrots without\nfeathers that talked a great deal of nonsense, I dare say you know that I\nmean little boys and girls. We read that \u201cin all labor there is profit,\nbut the talk of the lips tendeth only to penury.\u201d People that talk a\ngreat deal are not wise. In the multitude of words there wanteth not sin.\n\n\n[Illustration]\n\nThe STORK is called in the Bible, by a name which also means pity or\nmercy. It is supposed to be so called, because it is said never to\nforsake its parents, but to feed them and take care of them as long as\nthey live. I hope you will not forget this. The fifth commandment is\nthis, \u201cHonour thy father and mother that it may be well with thee, and\nthou mayest live long on the earth.\u201d Undutiful children are not happy\nwhen they grow up.\n\n\n[Illustration]\n\nThe SPARROW is of less value than most other birds, yet we are told that\nGod takes care even of them. (Matt. x. 29.) This should lead us to say,\nif he takes care of the Sparrows, surely he will not overlook children;\nand we should pray to God to direct us and to watch over us, and that he\nwould enable us to love him for his goodness towards us. But above all,\nwe should praise him for the greatness of his mercy in sending his only\nand well-beloved son to die for us, that we might be brought nigh to him.\n\n\n[Illustration]\n\nThe DOVE is said to signify to us what Christ is\u2014meek, lowly, and kind,\nbringing us the good tidings of salvation, as the Dove brought to Noah\na proof that the waters were gone from off the face of the earth. Also,\nwhen he causes his people to love him, they are made kind, gentle, and\nharmless, and partakers of his Holy Spirit. Let us remember this, and\npray that we may love him, and have our hearts changed, so that we may\ndelight in doing his will, and be \u201charmless as doves.\u201d\n\n\n[Illustration]\n\nThe HEN watches over her chickens, and takes care of them; she gathers\nthem under her wings, and guards them from the hawk, or any other danger.\nWhen Jesus was upon earth, he said, \u201cO Jerusalem, how often would I have\ngathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens\nunder her wings, and ye would not.\u201d Jesus is now in heaven, but he\ninvites us to call upon him by prayer. \u201cThe Lord is nigh unto all them\nthat call upon him, to all that call upon him in truth.\u201d Ps. cxlv. 18.\n\n\n[Illustration]\n\nThe CHICKENS run to the Hen when they are in danger or distress. My dear\nchildren, do you desire to go to the Saviour and to love him. You are\nin a world where danger threatens both your bodies and your souls, but\nhe has said he will fulfil the desire of them that fear him; he also\nwill hear their cry, and will save them. (Ps. cxlv. 19.) Do not refuse\nto listen to him, for \u201cHow shall you escape if you neglect so great\nsalvation?\u201d\n\n\n[Illustration]\n\nThe RAVEN was the first bird sent out of the ark by Noah, and though the\nwaters still covered the earth, it did not return again, but continued to\nfly about, while the Dove returned to the ark, because she found no rest\nfor the sole of her foot. When children are grown up, and are tempted by\nthe pleasures of the world, some, like the Raven, continue to go from one\nvanity to another, though they cannot find real happiness in any; while\nothers fly to the Saviour as the only rest and comfort. My dear child,\nare you like the Raven or like the Dove?\n\n\n[Illustration]\n\nThe SWAN appears very beautiful when in the water, but is very awkward\nwhen on the land. The Swan is said to sing when it is dying, perhaps\nthis is not true, but many dear little children, whom Christ has taken\nto himself when young, have been singing his praises when they died. You\nmay read about some of them in that pretty book \u201cJaneway\u2019s Token for\nChildren.\u201d\n\n[Illustration]","title":"History of Birds","tradition":"scripture-revelation","translated_text":null,"word_count":1321}