network modules loading?

["Dave" <dmehler26@woh.rr.com>]

Hello,
   Newbie to Debian. I've got a 4.0 system with two nics in it, one a 
realtek 8139, the other a 3com 3c905. One is configured via dhcp, the other 
will be via static. I read that /etc/modules contains the names of kernel 
drivers loaded at boot. I checked this file expecting to see the names of 
the nic modules, all i saw is loop for the loopback device, yet the nics are 
loaded. Checking lsmod i see the modules, mii, 3c59x, and 8139too. Where are 
they loading from?
Thanks.
Dave.