Outdoor Power Equipment and Small Engines - Embarrassingly basic question

I'll just start by saying I'm almost completely cluesless about small engines and their parts.

I have a fairly old Weedeater Featherlite trimmer that I can no longer get started.
I thought maybe something was clogging the fuel line, so I emptied the tank - and these 2 things fell out. What are they??? (told you I was clueless)
I looked online for a weedeater parts manual but had no luck. I imagine the little green nipple thing was once attached to something, but it was just loose in the tank. Could that be the problem for it not starting?
Pardon my ignorance and thanks for any insights. K.
http://img183.imageshack.us/img183/8681/weflftstf.jpg

The one on the right is a filter and the one on the left looks like the vent nipple from the cap.

Before you go any farther, take a picture or draw a diagram of the fuel lines and their routing as the fuel lines are bad and will need to be replaced. You may be able to reinstall the duckbill in the fuel cap if not it is going to leak when held at an angle where fuel is in the cap. Have a good one. Geo

O.k. that makes sense. Thanks to the both of you for the info.

There is no such thing as a dumb or bad question!!
Welcome to the Forum!:thumbup:Beer 4U2