The Irony of Pigmy
The author has ironically used the pigmy in the natural theology. A pigmy is a dwarf and it is heavier than a bird, but the writer implies that birds can carry off dwarfs - something impossible. Under normal circumstances, the prey birds are only able to carry things lighter than their weight. The author says:
“A pigmy would have been lost amongst rushes, or carried off by birds of prey.”
The Irony of Noise
Ironically, the writer indicates that sleep cannot be enjoyable without the disturbance of noise. Normally, sleep requires silence and it occurs at night when the environment is calm with little or no noise at all. Noise can be disturbing to sleep because both animals and birds require peace of mind for them to enjoy sleep. However, the writer says:
"In the human species, for instance, was the bustle, the labor, the motion of life, upheld by the constant presence of light, sleep could not be enjoyed without being disturbed by noise, and without the expense of that time which the eagerness of private interest would not contentedly resign."
The Irony of Sparrows
It is not expected that an oven can be used in hatching a bird's eggs. An oven very hot and instead of hatching, it can roast the eggs and kill all the embryos. However, it is ironic that the author says that he does not doubt that a couple of sparrows hatch in an oven. He says:
“I entertain no doubt, that a couple of sparrows hatched in an oven, and kept separate from the rest of their species, would proceed as other sparrows do, in every office which related to the production and preservation of their brood."
The Irony of education on birds
The term ‘education’ on birds has been ironically used to refer to birds' instincts. Birds do not have any structured education system but majorly rely on instincts and their environment. They observe what is happening around them and learn from that. However, there is no formal or informal education offered to birds. Therefore, the author is using the education on birds to refer to their ability to behave as educated creatures in the way they do things. He writes:
“There is another case of oviparous economy which is still less likely to be effect of education than it is even in birds, namely that moths and butterflies, which deposit their eggs in the precise substance….”
The Irony of Economy
To help the reader understand how animals, birds, plant and other creatures operate, the author has applied the term 'economy'. Under normal circumstances, animals and birds are not engaged in any income-generating activity, which constitutes the economy. However, they are engaged in activities such as hunting and making their welfare and living better. Therefore, the economy is ironically used to reflect on the activities carried out by the animals, birds, plants and other living organisms.
