1. The general difference of men and beasts, as to the structure and posture of the body	7. The windpipe
2. Their agreement	8. The vegetative and sensative, motions in brutes
3. Their agreement and disagreement, as to the head and brain	9. Of the soul of brutes
4. The heart and lungs	10. Of some particular sorts of beasts
5. The eyes	11. Some general reflections
6. The ears, nose, teeth

1.Next to man in the visible creation are BEASTS. And certainly, with regard to the structure of the body, the difference is not extremely great, between man and other animals. Only in this, that the structure of man is erect, and his form more elegant; that no beast has the feet of a man, much less the hand so admirably fitted for every purpose; and lastly, that no other animal has a brain, so large in proportion to its bulk as man. Concerning the prone posture of their body we may observe two things; the parts ministring thereto, and the use thereof.

I.As to the parts, it is observable, that in all these creatures, the legs are made exactly conformable to their posture, as those of man are to his posture: and farther, that the legs and feet are always admirably suited to the motion and exercise of each ani­mal. In some they are made for strength, to support a vast unwieldly body: as in the elephant, which being a creature of such prodigious weight, has its legs accordingly made like pillars. In others, they are made for agility and swiftness. So deers, hares, and several other creatures, have their legs very slender, but strong withal, and every way adapted for quick motion. In some, they arc formed only for walking and running; in others, for swimming too. Thus in the feet of the otter, the toes are all conjoined with membranes, as they arc in geese and (lucks. And in swimming it is observable, that when the foot goes forward in the water, the toes are close; but when backward they are spread out: whereby they more forcibly strike the water, and drive themselves forward, In others, as moles, they are made for walking and digging: and in others, for walking and flying*. In some they are made more weak, for the plainer lands; in others, stiff and less fiexiblet, for traversing ice and dangerous preci­pices. In some they are shod with rough and hard hoofs, in others with only a callous skin. In the latter, the feet are com­posed of toes: some short, barely for going; some long, to supply the place of a hand: some armed with long and strong talons, to catch, hold and tear the prey; and some fenced only ‘with short nails, to confirm the steps in running and walking.

II.1. As the posture of man’s body is the fittest for a rational animal, so is the prone posture of beasts, the most useful to themselves, and the most fit for the service they perform to man.

2.But this is a wonderful agreement between the bodies of men and beasts, not only with regard to the structure, but also the use of the several parts. How they differ, will be mentioned hereafter.

3.The BRAIN in them is of nearly the same structure and consistence as in man, and undoubtedly perfotms the same office, secreting the animal spirits (if such there be) in order to sensa­tion and muscular motion in every part of the body. The cerebel­lurn is nearly of the same shape in all. But the shape of the brain necessarily varies according to that of the head.

It is remarkable, that in man the head is of one single form: whereas in the four-footed race it is as various as their species. It is, in some, square and large, suitable to their food, abode, and slow motion: in others, it is small, slender and sharp, agreeable in their swifter motion, or to make way to their food, or habitation under ground. And as to the brain contained therein, how small is it in beasts, in proportion to what it is in man ! Another thing

The membranous wings of a bat are a prodigious deviation from nature’s ordinary way. And so is the Virginia flying squirrel; whose skin is extended, in the nature of wings, between its fore.legs and body. The elk has Legs so stiff and inflexible, that they run on ice without slip. ping. And this is the way they take, in winter, to save themselves from the wolves.

The goat, which generally dwells on mountains and rocks, and delights to walk on narrow ridges, and to take great and seemingly dangerous leaps, has the joints of the legs remarkably stiff and strong. Likewise the hoof is hollow underneath, and its edges sharp.

No less remarkable is, the situation of the brain and the cerebel­lum. As God has given to man a lofty countenance, and has lodged in his brain an immortal soul, to behold and contemplate heavenly things, so, as his face is erect, his brain is set in a higher place, above the cerebellum and all the sensories. But in brutes whose face is prone to the earth, and who are not capable of speculation, the cerebellum, which ministers merely to animal life, is placed above the brain. Also some of the organs of sense, are placed, if not above the brain, at lest on a level therewith.

Another very great convenience in this position of the brain and cerebellum is, in the head of man, the base of the brain and cerebellum, yea of the whole skull, is set parallel to the horizon: by which means there is the less danger of the two brains jog­gling or slipping out of the place. But in the beasts, whose heads hang down, the base of the skull makes a right angle with the horizon. By which means the brain is beneath, and the cerebellum above. And lest the cerebellum should hereby be liable to frequent concussions, an admirable provision is made, by that strong membrane, the dura mater, closely encompassing it-Beside this, it is guarded in some species with a strong bony fence. In the hare, the coney, and several others, a part of the cerebellum is on each side within the 0s fletrosum. So that its whole mass is, by this double stay, firmly contained within the skull.

4. The heart and lungs in beasts are of the same structure, with the same apparatus of veins and arteries, as in men. We cannot therefore doubt but the blood circulates in them, and nutrition is performed as in us. Their food also being dissolved in the stomach, is conveyed by the lacteals to the receptacle of the chyle. To the fore-part of this, (in men the upper part) joins the thoracic duct, which extending through the length of the thorax, ends in the vein, called, in beasts, cruralis anterior. The remaining part of the circulation is performed in them, as in men.

But some beasts have more stomachs than one. And some have the peculiar property of chewing the cud. The food, after it has been swallowed, is returned to the mouth, where it is chewed over again at leisure.

Not that this is altogether peculiar to beasts. There have been instances of men who had this property. Dr. Slare gives us a particular account of one whom he knew at Bristol. “ He begins,” says he, “ to chew his meat over again, within a quarter of an hour after meals. This chewing, after a full meal, lasts an hour and an half. If he goes to bed soon after a meal, he cannot sleep, till the usual time of chewing be over. The victuals returned, taste more pleasantly than they did at first. Bread, flesh, cheese and drink, are of much such a colour, as they would be, if mixt together in a mortar. His victuals lie heavy on his stomach, till they have passed this second chewing. He was thus ‘ever ‘since he can remember. His father does the. same, hut in small quantities.” What a mercy is it, that we have not more such instances! For how much of our precious time would it consume!

5. The situation, number, and conformation of the EYES in various animals, is wonderfully adapted to their various circum­stances. In several, the eye looks chiefly forward, but so as to take in nearly the hemisphere before it. In others, the eyes are so placed, as to take in nearly a whole sphere. In some, they are so fixt as to look chiefly behind, so that they see their enemy following them. So in rabbits and hares: whereas in dogs they are more forward, to look after their prey.

Generally the head is moveable for the sake of the eyes, and the eyes themselves moveable every way. Where it is not so, other expedients are found, to answer the same end. Thus in some creatures, the eyes are set at a distance from the head, to be moved this way or that: as in snails, whose eyes are fixed to the end of their horns, or rather of the optic nerves which are sheathed therein. In other creatures, whose heads and eyes are immoveable, this ‘is made up by the number of eyes. So spiders, which cannot move their head, have four, six, or eight eyes, all placed in the front of the head, which is round, like a locket of diamonds.

Many animals have muscles to move the eye, and obvert it to the object. Fishes have none; bu’t for amends, they have many little protuberances finely ranged on their large, bulging eyes; by’ which numberless rays of light are deflected from objects above, beneath, and on either side. Yea, some hundreds of these protuberances are curiously ranged on the convex eye of a flesh-fly.

Scorpions have above a hundred eyes; an ephemeron-fly full two thousand.

In other creatures, which have only two eyes, the want of motion therein is supplied, by their eyes protuberating into hemi­spheres, each being a Vast number of segments of a sphere.

The eyes of a cameleon resemble a convex glass set in a round socket, which he turns backward and forward without stir­ring the head, and commonly one a contrary way to the other.

Lastly, moles living under ground, have not so much need of eyes as other creatures. Yet they have eyes, but exceeding small, far in the head, and covered with strong hair. When they are above ground, they can put them forth beyond the skin, and draw them back at pleasure.

Another circumstance, relative to the eye, is highly remark­able. As we use various apertures to our optic glasses, so nature has made a far more complete provision, to admit enough, and not too much light, into the eyes of animals, by the dilatation and contraction of the pupil. And this, in divers animals of divers forms, is according to their peculiar occasions. In some it is round, particularly in man. That being the most proper figure for the position of our eyes, and the use we make of them, both by day and night. In some animals it is of a longish form, in some transverse, with its aperture large (an admirable provision for their seeing sideways), and thereby avoiding many inconveniences, as well as’ a help for gathering their, food On the ground, whether by day or night. In others, that aperture is erect, and also capable of opening wide and shutting close. The latter serves to exclude the bright light of the day, the former to take in the faint rays of the night: thereby enabling them to see and catch their prey, when there is no light discernible to us.

Thus cats can so close their pupil, as to admit but a single ray of light. And again, by throwing all open, they can take in all the faintest rays: which’ is an incomparable provision for creatures that have occasion to watch their prey both by day and night.

But beside this, in cats and other nocturnal animals, there is a sort of’ carpet at the bottom of the eye, which gives a kind of radiation on the pupil, thereby enabling them to see in the dark.

To preserve this tender organ, many creatures have a mem­brane, which is not commonly perceived, wherewith they can at pleasure cover the eye, without too much hindering the ,sight; being both transparent and strong, so that it is a kind of moveable cornea.

Providence is conspicuous in furnishing frogs with this. For as they live in watery places, which generally abound in plants that have sharp edges or points; and as the frog goes on, not by walking but by leaping, if he were not so furnished, he must either shut his eyes, and so leap blindfold, or run many risks by leaving them open. But this membrane guards the eyes, without blinding him. And as soon as the occasion for it is over, he draws it back into a little cell. Many birds also, as they must fly between trees and bushes, are provided with time same membrane. And so is the rain-deer.

6. The comparative anatomy of the EAR, yields abundant instances of the Creator’s wisdom. In birds the outward ear is close and covered, not protuberant; as that would obstruct their flight. In beasts, its form is agreeable to the posture and motion of the body, but admirably varied in the several species, accord­ing to their various occasions. In some, as the hare, it is large, open and erect: by which means that timorous, helpless creature, is warned of the least approach of danger. In others, it is covered to keep out noxious bodies. In those which are forced to mine and dig for their habitation, it is short, and lodged deep and backward in the head. Thus moles have no auricle at all; but only a round hole, between the neck and shoulder. And this is closed with a little skin, which opens and shuts like an eye-lid.

The sea-calf also, as well as lizards and serpents, have no outward ear. And the tortoise, with most kinds of fishes, have the passage quite covered over.

But among all the varieties in the structure of this organ, none are more remarkable than those of the passage into the os petrosum. In an owl, which perches upon a tree or beam, and hearkens after the prey beneath her, it comes farther out above than below, for the better reception of sounds from beneath. In a fox, which scouts under the prey at roost, it comes farther out below than above. In a pole-cat, which hearkens straight forward, it is produced behind, for the taking a forward sound. Whereas a hare, whose enemy comes behind, is supplied with a bony circle, directed backward: by means of which she receives dis­tinctly the smallest sound which comes that way.

The more accurate the sense of smelling is in any creature, the longer are the laminæ in the nostrils, and the more in number, folded up, and crowded together, to contain more nervous filaments, and to detain the odoriferous particles, in their wind­ings and turnings. An admirable provision this, for the good of many creatures, the chief acts of whose lives are performed by the ministry of this sense. In insects and many other creatures it is of great use, in helping them to proper places for hatching their eggs, and breeding up their young. And most irrational animals, beasts, birds and reptiles, do by their smell find out their food. With what sagacity do some of them discover it, in the midst of mud and dirt ! How curiously do others pick and choose such plants as afford them wholesome food, perhaps medicine too, avoiding such as tend to hurt or destroy them t And all this principally by the smell, together, with its near ally, the taste.

The various forms of the TEETH in various creatures, is another; instance of the Divine Wisdom. How curiously are they adapted to the peculiar food and occasion of each species 1 Thus in the rapacious, they are fitted to catch and hold their prey; in the herbaceous, to gather and chew vegetables. In those which have no teeth, as birds, the bill supplies that defect; together with their additional stomach. And it is a remark which hardly fails: all such animals as have four stomachs, have no teeth at all.

There are great varieties in the teeth of other animals. Trout have teeth upon their tongues; cod-fish at the bottom of their gullet. Crocodiles have three rows of teeth on the same jaw; sharks, four or five; sea-devils, so called, have several rows of moveable teeth.

7. The variation of the WIND-PIPE, in various creatures, is likewise observable, as it is necessary for that of the voice. In a hedge-hog, which has a very small voice, it is hardly more than membranous, In a pigeon, which has a low, soft note, it is partly membranous, partly cartilaginous. In an owl, which has a good audible note, It is more cartilaginous. But that of a jay, as of a linnet, has bones instead of cartilages.

The rings of the wind-pipe likewise are fitted for the modulation of the voice. For in dogs and cats, which use a great many notes, they are, as in man, open and flexible: whereby all or any of them is more or less dilated or contracted, in order to a deeper or shriller-note. But they are one entire ring in the Japan peacock, which uses one single note.

8. As to the motions of brutes, it is not easy to conceive, that even those of the vegetative kind, can be the mere mechanical effects of matter, however modified. Much less can we conceive this of their sensitive motion: for we have not the least reason to doubt, but the same impressions of external objects, raise the same perceptions in them as in us. No question, they see, and hear, and smell, and taste, and feel in the same manner as men!

9. We cannot therefore deny that there is something in brutes, which perceives the impressions made by outward objects; and that they perform a thousand actions, which can never be ex­plained by mere mechanism: those in particular which spring from what we call instinct, as the feeding and tending their young, the building their nests and preparing their habitation, upon or in the earth.

It is true, some things in brutes, as well as in men, may be mechanically accounted for. But others cannot : so that we are constrained to own, there is in them also some superior princi­ple, of whatever kind it be, which is endued with sense, percep­tion and various appetites. For from their outward actions we may as easily learn, as we could from those of a man born deaf and dumb, that there are in this principle or soul two different-faculties: that of perceiving or knowing, answerable to our un­derstancling; and that of desiring and shunning, answerable to our will. That this principle is immaterial, appears from this single consideration, it has a power of self-motion; which no matter can have, being wholly and essentially passive.

10. It is not my design to enumerate the several species of beasts. But it may illustrate the wisdom of the great Creator, to give some account of a few; several of which are not so com­monly known.

The largest land-animal in the world is an ELEPHANT, which seems rather to belong to the hog-kind than any other. They are found only in the south of Africa, and in the East-Indies, and are generally of a dark colour. Their eyes arc like those of a hog. At the corners of their mouth grow two large teeth, six or seven feet long in the male, but not above one in the female. They feed on grass, nuts, and other vegetables.

Of all quadrupeds, the elephant is the strongest, as well as the largest and yet in a state of nature, it is neither fierce nor formidable. Mild, peaceful, and brave; it never abuses its strenth, and only uses it for its own protection. In its native desarts, the elephant is a social, friendly creature. The oldest of the company conducts the band; that which is next in seniority brings up the rear. The young, the weak, and the sickly, fall into the centre’; while the females carry their young. They maintain this order only in dangerous marches, or when they desire to feed in culti­vated ground: they move with less precaution in the forests, and solitudes; but without ever moving far asunder.

Nothing can be more formidable than a drove of elephants, as they appear at a distance, in an African landscape: wherever they march, the forest seems to fall before them; in their passage they bear down the branches, on which they feed; and if they enter into an enclosure, they destroy all the labours of the husbandman, in a very short time. Their invasions are the more disagreeable, because there is no means of repelling them: since It would require a small army to attack the whole drove when united. It now and then happens, that one or two is found linger­ing behind the rest, and it is against these that the art and force of the hunters are united; but an attempt to molest the —whole body, would certainly prove fatal. They go forward directly against him who offers the insult, strike him with their tusk, seize ‘him with their trunks, fling him into the air, and then trample him to pieces under their feet. But they are thus dread­ful only when they are offended, and do no manner of personal injury when suffered to feed without interruption.

The elephant has very small eyes, when compared to the enor­mous bulk of its body. But, though their minuteness may at first sight appear deformed, yet, when we come to examine them, they are seen to exhibit a variety of expression. It turns them with attention and friendship to its master; it seems to reflect and deliberate; and as its passions slowly succeed each other, their various workings are distinctly seen. It is remarkable for the excellence of its hearing. Its cars are extremely large. They are usually dependent; but it can readily raise and move them. They serve also to wipe its eyes, and to protect them against the dust and flies. It appears delighted with music, and readily learns to beat time, to move in measure, and even to join its voice with the drum and trumpet.

This animal’s sense of smelling is not only exquisite, but it is pleased with the same odours that delight mankind. The elephant gathers flowers with great pleasure; it picks them up one by one, unites them in a nosegay, and seems charmed with the perfume. The orange-flower is particularly grateful, both to its taste and smell; it strips the tree of all its verdure, and eats every part of it, even to the branches themselves. It seeks in the meadows the most odoriferous plants to feed upon; and in the woods it prefers the cocoa, the banana, the palm, and the sage-tree to all others.

But it is in the sense of feeling that this animal excels all others of the brute creation, and perhaps man himself. The organ of this sense is wholly in the trunk, which is an instrument peculiar to this animal; and that serves it for all the purposes of a hand. The trunk ends in two openings, or nostrils, like those of a hog. An elephant of fourteen feet high, has the trunk about three feet long, and five feet and a half in circumference, at the mouth. It is hollow all along, but with a partition run­ning from one end of it to the other. This tube is composed of nerves and muscles covered with a skin like that of the rest of the body. It is capable of being moved in every direction, of being lengthened and shortened, of being bent or straightened; so pliant as to embrace any body it is applied to, and yet so strong that nothing can be torn from its gripe. To aid the force of this grasp,’ there are several very little eminences, like a caterpillar’s feet, on the under side of this instrument, which without doubt contributes to the sensibility of the touch as well as the firmness of the hold. Through this trunk the animal breathes, drinks and smells; and at the very point of it, just above the nostrils, there is an extension of the skin, above five inches long, in the form of a finger, and which, in fact, answers all the purposes of one; for with the rest of the extremity of the trunk, it is capable of assuming different forms at will, and, con­sequently, of being adapted to the minutest objects. By means of this, the elephant can untie the knots of a rope, unlock a door, and even write with a pen. It sometimes happens, that the object is too large for the trunk to grasp; in such a case the elephant makes use of another expedient. It applies the extre­mity of the trunk to the surface of the object, and, sucking up its breath, lifts and sustains such a weight as the air in that case is capable of keeping suspended. In this manner this instru­ment is useful in most of the purposes of life; it is an organ of smelling, of touching, and of suction; it not only provides for the animal's necessities, but it also serves for ornament and defence.

The legs are not so inflexible as the neck, yet they are very stiff, and bend not without difficulty. Those before, seem to be longer than the hinder; but, upon being measured, are found to be something shorter. The joints by which they bend are nearly in the middle, like the knee of a man, and the large bulk which they are to support, makes their flexure ungain. Yet while the elephant is young, it bends the legs to lie down or rise ; but when it grows old, or sickly, this becomes so. inconvenient that the animal chooses to sleep standing.

It is one of the striking peculiarities of this animal, that his generative powers totally fail when he comes under the dominion of man; as if he seemed unwilling to propagate a race of slaves to increase the pride of his conqueror.

The elephant, when once tamed, becomes the most gentle and obedient of all animals. it soon conceives an attachment for the person that attends it, caresses him, obeys him, and seems to anticipate his desires.

In a short time it begins to comprehend the signs made to it, and even the different sounds of the voice; it perfectly distinguishes the tone of command from that of angel’ or approbation, and acts accordingly. It receives its orders with attention; eagerly, yet without precipitation. All its motions are regulated, and its actions seem to partake of its magnitude, being grave and majestic. It is quickly taught to kneel clown to receive its rider ; it caresses those it knows with its trunk ; with this salutes such as it is ordered to distinguish, and with this, as with a hand, helps to take up part of its load. It suffers itself to be arrayed in harnes; and seems to take a pleasure in the finery of its trappings. It draws either chariots, cannons, or shipping, with surprising strength and perseverance; and this with a seeming satisfaction, provided its master appears pleased with its exer­tions. And lie frequently takes such an affection for his keeper that he will obey no other: and it has been known to die for grief, when in some sudden fit of madness, it has killed its con­ductor,

In Delhi, an elephant passing the streets, put his trunk into a taylor’s shop, where several people were at work. One of the persons of the shop, desirous of amusement, pricked the animal’s trunk with his needle. The elephant passed on without any signs of resentment, hut coming to a puddle of dirty water, filled his trunk, returned to the shop, and spurted it over all their finery.

Some of them are twenty feet in compass, and near fourteen high. They seem to have more sense than any other brute, and are capable of fidelity and strong affection: particularly to their companion: so that neither the male nor female is ever known to make a second choice.

The female goes seventeen months with her young: they are fifty or sixty years before they have their full strength, are in full vigour at about a hundred, and live two or three hundred years.

A RHINOCEROS, next to the elephant, is the most extraordinary animal in the Indies. It is usually twelve feet long, from the tip of the nose to the insertion of the tail; from six to seven feet high; and the circumference of its body is nearly equal to its length. It is therefore equal to the elephant in bulk, and if it appears much smaller to the eye, the reason is, the legs are much shorter. In other respects it is shaped like a wild boar.

It is said to have a very rough tongue, but this is so far from the truth, that no animal of near its size has so soft a one. It is smooth and small like that of a dog; and to the feel, it appears as if one passed the hand over velvet. It has a peculiar cry, a mixture between time grunting of a hog, and the bellowing of the calf. The age of these animals is not well known: it is said by some, that they bring forth at three years old, and if may reason from analogy, it is probable they seldom live above twenty.

That which was shewn in London, was said, by its keeper, to be eighteen years old, and even at that age, lie pretended to con­sider it as a young one; however it died shortly after, and that probably in the course of nature. It is a native of Asia and Africa, and is usually found in those extensive forests that are frequent­ed by the elephant and lion. As it subsists entirely upon vege­table food, it is peaceful and harmless among its fellows of the brute creation; but though it never provokes to combat, it equally disdains to fly. It is every way fitted for war, but rests contented in the consciousness of its security.

His skin is without hair, and so full of scratches and scabs, that at a distance they may well be taken for scales. On his nose he has a horn of a dark brown color, which bends backward, and is often two feet long. He has often another horn a little above this, which never exceeds six inches. His eyes are exceeding small, and he only sees straight forward: therefore he always runs in a straight line tearing up whatever stands in his way. With his horn he throws stones over his head to a great distance, and even tears up trees by time roots.

The outer skin of the rhinoceros, which consists of many folds, is thick and impenetrable. In running one’s fingers under one of the folds, it feels like a board half an inch thick. But between the folds the skin is as smooth and soft as silk, and easily penetrated. See here time wisdom of the gieat Creator ! If the outer skin, which is quite inflexible, was continued all over him without any fold, he could not perform any action whatever. But the supple ness of skin in other beasts, is compensated in this by these folds. It ‘was necessary his skin should be hard for his defence: mean time it was a noble contrivance, that it should be so soft and smooth underneath, that when he bends himself any way, one part of this board-like skin, should slide over the other. And these folds are placed in such parts of his body as to facilitate the performance of every voluntary motion.

Another native of time East-Indies is the CAMEL, one of the most serviceable animals in the world. 1-fe kneels down to receive his burden, and rises when he bath his accustomed load. if he feels himself over-burdened he will not rise, but cry till I)art of it is taken off. One of them will carry a thousand or twelve hundred weight, forty miles a day, for thirty or forty days together. They have no teeth in the upper jaw. They will travel forty hours, without either meat or drink : and nine days without drink: they have two stomachs admirably contrived for this purpose. The gentleman who dissected one at Paris, found in his second stomach- several square holes, which were the orifices of about twenty cavities, made like sacks, placed be.tween the two membranes, which compose the substance of the stomach. And in these reservoirs he contains water enough to serve him for so many days.

The bunch on his hack is not flesh, much less bone, but mere hair. And when this is prest close down, he is no more hunch-’backed than a swine. They subsist on very little, which enables them to travel through those vast and barren deserts. How wise is He who caused these to be natives of those countries, where such creatures are absolutely necessary! A farther instance of this is, that the African camel, which has still greater and more uncouth journeys to take, is larger and stronger, and capable of carrying heavier burdens than those of Asia.

Another wonderful property of camels is, that of foreseeing the poisonous winds, which kill in a moment. A little before these come, they run together and cry, and hide their noses in the earth. And as soon as they are past, they lift up their heads, and continue their’ journey.

The DROMEDARY In most respects resembles the’ camel; only it is of a slighter make, and instead of one bunch on its back, has two about six inches in height. It goes frequently forty leagues a day; so that although it cannot carry above six hundred weight, yet its swiftness atones for its weakness. Its feet are soft as a sponge, and are not hurt, either by stones or sand. And, what is an excellent providence, they travel best, and have the greatest spirits in the hottest weather.

The LAMAS, in Peru, have small heads, resembling in some measure both a horse and a sheep. The upper lip is cleft, like that of a hare, through which, when they are enraged, they spit, even to ten paces distance, a sort of juice, which when it falls upon the skin, causes a red spot and great itching. The neck is long, like that of a camel, the body like that of a sheep, but with much longer legs. It yields strong and fine wool, and is also a beast of burden, and kept at an easy expense. It carries a burden a vast way, without tiring; eats very little and never drinks. At night he lies down, and no blows can make him rise, or move one foot till morning.

A creature no less remarkable, but in a quite different way, is the CASTOR, or BEAVER. This creature is about four feet long, and fifteen inches broad. He is covered with two sorts of hair, one long, the other a soft down. The down, an inch long, is properly his clothing, being extremely fine, and close laid upon the skin. The long hair is spread over all, to preserve it from dirt and wet. Whether male or female, it has two bags under its belly, which contain a liquid substance, that congeals in air, and affords an excellent medicine, which -we call castoreum.

He has strong teeth rivetted fast in his jaws, to cut wood, as well as chew his food. His fore feet are like those of an ape or squirrel, to hold what he eats in his paw. And with these he digs, softens and works the clay or loam for his habitation. His feet are remarkably formed, more proper to swim than to walk with, the five toes being joined together by a strong membrane. His tail is long, flattish, covered with scales, and constantly lubricated with oil; because, being an- architect from his birth, he uses his tail as a hod, to carry his clay or mortar, and as a trowel, to spread it into an incrustation. Mean time the scales preserve it from being hurt by the burden; and the oil which he squeezes from his bags, and rubs on with his snout, from the noxious air and water.

As they like to live together, they choose a situation near some rivulet. They first build a causeway, in which the water may rise level with the first story of their habitation. This is built of wood and clay, about twelve feet thick at the bottom, descending in a slope on the side next the water. The other side is perpen­dicular: the top of this is about two feet broad. They cut their wood, though as thick as one’s thigh, into pieces, from two’ to six feet long, drive them into the earth with their teeth, and lace them together with boughs, closing all the opening within and without with a strong plaister made of clay. If the water increase upon them, they raise their wall higher. Knowing their materials arc more easily brought by water than by land, they watch its increase, to swim with mortar on their tails, and štakcs between their teeth to the place where they build. When the causeway is finished, they begin their apartments, which are oval, and divided into three partitions, one above another. But the walls of these are perpendicular, and only two feet thick. All the wood that projects, they cut off with their teeth: and rough-cast both the out and inside of their work, with a mixture of clay and dry grass. The first partition being below the level of the dyke, is full of water; for they love to have their hinder part hanging in the water. The other two are above it, so that if the water ascend, they may ascend proportionably.

At the bottom of their building, they strike out two openings to the stream ; one leads to the place where they bathe, the other to that where they ease nature.

They associate ten or twelve together, and proportion their house to their number. When all is finished below, they vault the top or roof in an oval form.

In summer they feed on fruits and plants : in winter, on. willow, ash, or other wood. This they collect and store up in time. They cut boughs from three to six fees long: the large pieces are brought to the magazine by several beavers, the smaller by one alone; but they take different ways, each having his path assigned, to prevent the labour being interrupted. They build up their pile with much art, which is proportioned to their number. A square pile of thirty feet, about ten feet deep, serves for ten beavers, But the wood is not piled up in one continued heap: the pieces. are laid across one another, with cavities between, for the conveniency of drawing out what they want. They always use first the parcel at bottom, which lies in the water. And when it is taken up for use, they cut this wood into small pieces, and convey it to their apartment, where the whole family come and receive their shares.

The feet of a female beaver, which a gentleman kept in Eng­land some years since, were webbed, like those of a goose. The tail was scaly, and shaped like the blade of an oar. This she used as a rudder to steer herself, especially when she swam under water, which she would do for two or three minutes, arid then come tip to take breath, sometimes raising only her nostrils above water. She swam swifter than any water fowl; and under water as swift as a carp. The hind legs being longer than the fore, make her walk slow on dry land, or rather waddle like a duck. If drove along fast, she could not run, but went by jumps, flapping her tail against the ground. She never made any noise, except a little sort of a grunting, when angry, or driven fast. As the beaver frequents the water like water fowls, may not the castor’ be provided for him by nature, to anoint his fur with, and prevent the water from soaking to his skin. And as it is impreg­nated with penetrating, pungent particles, it may likewise contri­bute to keep off the chill, which the water might otherwise strike to his body, when he remains long therein.

The SHAMMOY, though a wild animal, is easily tamed, and is to he found only in rocky and mountainous places. It is about the size of a domestic goat. It is agreeably lively, and active beyond expression. The shammoy’s hair is short, like that of a doe. In spring it is of an ash colour; in autumn, a dun colour, inclining to black; and in winter, of a blackish brown. This animal is found in great plenty in the mountains of Dauphiny, of Piedmont, Savoy, Switzerland and Germany. They are peaceful, gentle creatures, and live in society with each other. They are found in. flocks of from four to fourscore, dispersed upon the crags of the mountains. The large males are seen feeding detached from the rest, except in rutting time, when they approach the females, and drive away the young.

It is to be observed, that this creature is extremely vigilant, and has an eye the most piercing in nature. Its smell also is not less distinguishing. When it sees its enemy distinctly, it stops for a moment; and then if the person be near, in an instant flies off. In the same manner it can, by its smell, discover a man at a

great distance, and gives the earliest notice. Upon any alarm, the ‘šhammoy beginš his hissing note with such force, that the rocks and forests re-echo to the sound, The animal having reposed a moment, again looks round, and perceiving the reality of its fears, continues to hiss by intervals. During this time, it seems in the most violent agitation; it strikes the ground ‘with its fore foot, and sometimes with both; it bounds from rock to rock; it turns and looks round; it runs to the edge of the pre­cipice, and still flies with all its speed.

Its head is furnished with two small horns, of about half a foot long, of a beautiful black. The ears are placed in a very elegant manner, near the horns; and there are two stripes of black on each side of the face, the rest being of a whitish yellow, which never changes. They run along the rocks with great ease and indifference, and leap from one to another, so that no dogs are able to pursue them. They always mount or descend in an oblique direction; and throw themselves down a rock of thirty feet, and light with great security upon some excrescence or fragment, on the side of the precipice, which is just large enough to place their feet upon. The more craggy and uneven the forest, the more this animal is pleased with the abode, which thus adds to its security.

The ROE-BUCK IS the smallest of the deer kind in our climate, and is now almost extinct, except in the Highlands of Scotland. It is generally about three feet long, and about two feet high. The horns are from eight to nine inches long, upright, round, and divided into three branches. The body is covered with very long hair, well adapted to the rigour of its mountainous abode.

As the stag frequents the thickest forests, and the sides of the highest mountains, the roe-buck courts the shady thicket, and the rising slope. Although far inferior in strength to the stag, it is more active, and even more courageous. Its hair is always smooth, clean, and glossy; and it frequents only the driest places, and of the purest air. Though but a very little animal, yet, when its young are attacked, it faces the Stag himself, and often comes off victorious. All its motions are elegant and easy; it bounds without effort, and continues the course with little fatigue. It is also possessed of more cunning in avoiding the hunter; and, although its scent is much stronger than that of the stag, it is more frequently found to make good a retreat. The stag never offers to use art until his strength is beginning to decline; this more cunning animal, when it finds that its first efforts to escape are without success, returns upon its former track, again goes forward, and again returns, unUl by its various windings, it has entirely destroyed the scent, and joined the last emanations to those of its former course. It then, by a bound, goes to one side, lies flat upon its belly, and permits the pack to pass by very near, without offering to stir.

The roc-buck differs from the stag also, in its natural appetites, its Inclinations, and its whole habit of living. Instead of herding together, these animals live in separate families; the sire, the dam, and the young ones, associate together, and never admit a stranger into their little community. All others of the deer kind are inconstant in their affection; but the roe-buck never leaves its mate; and as they have been generally bred up together, from their first fawning, the male and female never after separate.

They drive away their fawns upon these occasions; the buch forcing them to retire in order to make room for a succeeding progeny. However, when the season is over, the fawns return to their does, and remain with them some time longer;, after which, they quit them entirely, in order to begin an independent family of their own.

When the female is ready to bring forth, she seeks a retreat in the thickest woods, being not less apprehensive of the buck, from whom she then separates, than of the woff, the wild cat, and almost every ravening animal of the forest. She generally produces two at a time. In about ten or twelve days these are able to follow their dam, except in cases of warm pursuit, when their strength is not equal to the fatigue. Upon such occasions, the tenderness of the dam is very extraordinary; leaving them in the deepest thicket, she offers herself to the danger, flies before the hounds, and does all in her power to lead them from the retreat where she has lodged her little ones. Such animals as are nearly upon her own level she boldly encounters; attacks the stag, the wild cat, and even the wolf; and while she has life, continues her efforts to protect her young.

Of all animals of the deer kind, the RAIN-DEER is the most useful. It is a native of the icy regions of the north, and cannot live in a more southern climate. Nature seems to have fitted it entirely for that hardy race of mankind that live near the pole. As these would find it impossible to subsist among their barren, snowy mountains, without its aid, so this animal can live only there. From it alone, the natives of Lapland and Greenland supply most of their wants. It answers the purposes of a horse, to convey them and their scanty furniture, from one mountain to another; it answers the purposes of a cow, in giving milk; and. of the sheep, in furnishing them with a warm, though a homely kind of clothing. From this alone, therefore, they receive as many advantages as we derive from three of our most useful creatures. It is lower and stronger built than the stag; its legs are shorter and thicker, and its hoofs much broader;. its hair is much thicker and warmer; its horns much larger in proportion, and branching forward over its eyes; its ears are much larger; its pace is rather a trot than a bounding, and this it can continue for a whole day; its hoofs are cloven and moveable, so that it spreads them abroad as it goes, to prevent its sinking in the snow.

Lapland is divided into two districts; the mountainous, and the woody. The mountainous part is barren and bleak, exces­sively cold, and uninhabitable, during the winter. Still, however, it is the most desirable part of this frightful region, and is most thickly peopled, during the summer. The natives generally reside on the declivity of the mountains, three or four cottages together. Upon the approach of winter, they migrate into the plains below, each bringing down his whole herd, which often amounts to more than a thousand, and leading them where the pasture is in greatest plenty. The woody part of the country is much more hideous: a frightful, scene of trees without fruit, and plains without verdure. As far as the eye can reach, nothing is to be seen, even in the midst of summer, but barren fields, covered only with moss; no grass, no flowery landscapes, only. here and there a pine tree, which may have escaped the frequent conflagrations, by which the natives burn down their forests. This moss, however, which deforms the country, serves for its only support, as upon it alone the rain-deer can subsist. The inhabitants, who, during the summer, lived among the moun­tains, drive down their herds in winter, and people the plains and woods below.

There is something worthy our notice even in that despised animal, an ASS. There is a much greater resemblance between .the horse and the ass, than between the sheep and the goat. And yet the latter produce an animal that is not barren; whereas the mule always is.

The she ass is not less fond of her young, than the male is of her. She will rush either through fire or water’, to protect or rejoin it. An ass is often no less attached to his owner. lie scents him at a considerable distance; he distinguishes him from others, in a crowd. He knows the way wherein he has passed, and the places where he inhabits.

When over-loaded, he shews it by hanging down his head, and lowering his ears. If his eyes are covered, lie will not stir a step; and, if he is laid down in such a manner that one eye is covered with the grass, while the other is hidden with a stone, or what­ever is next at hand, he will continue fixed in the same situation, and will not so much as attempt to rise, to free himself from those slight impediments. He walks, trots, and gallops, like a horse, but is soon tired; and then no beating will mend his pace. It is in vain that his unmerciful rider exerts his whip or his. cudgel: time’ poor little animal bears it all with patience, and does not offer even to move.

The Spaniards, of all people in Europe, seem to be acquainted with the value of the ass. They take all precautions to improve the breed, and a jackass in Spain in above fifteen hands high. This animal; however, seems originally a native of Arabia A warm climate is known to produce the largest ‘and the best; their size and spirit decline, in proportion as they advance into colder regions.

In Guinea, they are larger and more beautiful, than even the horses of the same country.

In Persia, they have two kinds; one of which is used for burdens, being slow and heavy, the. other is kept for the saddle, being smooth, stately, and nimble. An ass will live about sixty years. He sleeps much less than the horse; and never lies down for that purpose, unless very much tired. The she ass goes about eleven months with young, and never brings forth more than one at a time.

The mule may be engendered, either between a horse and a she ass, or between a jackass and a mare. The latter ‘breed is every way preferable, being larger, stronger, and better shaped. The common mule is found very serviceable in carrying burdens, particularly in mountainous and stony places. Their manner of going down the precipices of the Alps is very extraordinary. In these passages, on one side, are steep eminences, and, on the other, frightful abysses; and, as they generally follow the direc­tion of the mountain, the road, instead of lying’ in a level, forms at every little distance steep declivities, of several hundred yards downward. These can only be descended by mules: and the animal itself seems sensible of the danger. When they come to the edge of one of these descents, they stop of themselves, without being checked by tire rider; and if he inadvertently attempts to spur them on, they continue immoveable. They seem ruminating and preparing themselves for the encounter. They not only attentively view the road, but tremble and snort. Having prepared for the descent, they place their fore feet in a posture, as if they were stopping themselves; they then put their hinder feet together, but a little forward, as if they were going to lie down- In this attitude, having, taken as it were a survey of tire road, they slide down with the swiftness of a meteor. In the mean time, all the rider has to do is to keep himself fast on the saddle, without checking the rein, for the least motion is sufficient to disorder the mule ; in which case they both unavoida­bly perish. But their address in this rapid descent, is truely wonderful; for in their swiftest motion, when they seem to have lost all government of themselves, they follow exactly the differ­ent windings of the road, as if they had previously settled in their minds the route they were to follow. In this journey, the natives, who are placed along the sides of the mountains, and hold by the roots of the trees, animate the beast with shouts, and encourage him to perseverance.

There are but three animals of the horse-kind. The HORSE, which is the most stately and courageous, the Ass, which is the most patient, and the ZEBRA, which is the most beautiful, but at. the some time the wildest animal in nature. Nothing can exceed the delicate regularity of this creature’s colour, or the smoothness of its skin; but on the other hand, nothing can be more timid or more untameable.

The zebra, or wild ass, is chiefly a native of the southern parts of Africa, and there are whole herds of them often seen feeding in the extensive plains near the Cape of Good Hope. However, their watchfulness is such, that they suffer nothing to come near them; and their swiftness so great, that they readily leave their pursuers far behind. The zebra, in shape, rather resembles the mule than the ass. Its ears are not as long as those of the ass, ,,and yet not so small as in the horse-kind. Like the ass, its head is large, its back straight, and its tail tufted at the end; like the horse, its skin is smooth and close, and its hind quarters round and fleshy. But its greatest beauty lies in the amazing elegance of its colours. In the male they are white and brown; in the female, white and black. These colours are disposed in alternate stripes over the whole body, and with such exactness and symmetry, that one would think nature had employed the rule and compass to paint them. These stripes, which are like so many ribbons laid all over its body, are narrows parallel, and exactly separated from each other.

It is now not known, what were the pains and the dangers which were first undergone to reclaim the breed of horses. from savage ferocity: these, no doubt, made an equal opposition; but by being opposed by an industrious and enterprising race of mankind, their spirit was at last subdued, and their freedom restrained.

It is otherwise with regard to the zebra; it is the native of countries where the human inhabitants are but little raised above the quadruped. The natives of Angola or Cafraria, have no other Idea of advantage from horses, but as they are good for food; neither the fine stature of the Arabian courser, nor the delicate colourings of the zebra, have any allurements to a race of people ‘who only consider the quantity of flesh, and not its conformation. The delicacy of the zebra's shape, or the painted elegance of its form, are no more regarded by such, than by the lion that makes it his prey. Perhaps the zebra may have hitherto continued wild, because it is the native of a country where there have been no efforts made to reclaim it. All pursuits then were rather against its life than its liberty; the animal has thus been long taught to consider man as its mortal enemy; and it is not to be wondered, that it refuses to yield obedience where it has so seldom experi­enced mercy.

All animals seem perfectly to know their enemies, and to avoid them at the same time; which we cannot account for. Instinct, indeed, may teach the deer to fly from the lion, or the mouse to avoid the cat: but what is the principle that teaches the dog to attack the dog-butcher wherever he ,sees him In China, where the killing and. dressing dogs is ‘a trade, whenever one of these move out, all the dogs in the village, or the street, are sure to be after him.

I have seen, says Dr. G-, more than one instance of the same kind among ourselves. I have seen a poor fellow, who made a, practice of stealing and killing dogs for their skins, pursued hue and cry for three or four streets together, by all the bolder breed of dogs, while the weaker flew from his presence with a fright.

How these animals could thus find out their enemy, and pursue him, is unaccountable; but such is the fact; and it not only obtains in dogs, but in several other animals, though perhaps to a less degree.

The noise of the zebra is neither like that of the horse. or ass, but more resembling the confused barking of a mastiff dog. In the two which I saw, there was a circumstance that seems to have escaped naturalists; which is, that the skin hangs loose below the jaw, upon the neck, in a kind of dewlap, which takes away much from the general beauty.

The SQUIRREL is a beautiful little animal; which from the gentleness of its manners, deserves our protection. It is not hurtful, its usual food is fruits, nuts and acorns; ‘it is cleanly, nimble, active, and industrious; its eyes are sparkling, and its physiognomy marked with meaning. It generally, like the hare and rabbit, sits upon its hinder legs, and uses the fore paws as hands; these have five claws as they are called, and one of them is separated from the rest like a thumb. This animal seems to approach the nature of a bird, from its lightness and surprising agility. It seldom descends to the ground, except in case of storms, but jumps from one ‘branch to another; feeds in spring, on the buds and young shoots; in summer, on the ripening fruits: and particularly the young coves of the pine tree. In autumn it has an extensive variety, the acorn, the filbird, the ehesnut, and the wilding. This season of plenty, however, is not spent in idle enjoyment; the provident little animal gathers at that time its provisions for the winter, and cautiously foresees the season when the forest shall be stripped of its leaves and fruitage.

Its nest is generally formed among the large branches of a great tree, where they begin to fork off into small ones. After choosing the place where the timber begins ‘to decay, and a hollow may easily be formed, the squirrel ‘begins by making a kind of level between the forks; and then bringing moss, twigs, and dry leaves, it binds them together with great art, so as to resist the most violent storm. This is covered on all sides, and has but a single opening at top, which is just large enough to admit the little animal; and this opening is itself defended from the weather by a kind of canopy that throws off the rain, though never so heavy The nest, thus formed, with a very little opening above, is, nevertheless, very commodious and roomy below; soft, well knit together, and every way convenient and warm. In’ this retreat the little animal brings forth its young, ‘shelters itself from the heat of the sun, which it seems to fear, and from the storms and inclemency of the winter, which it is still less capable. of supporting. Its provision of nuts and acorns is seldom in its nest, but in the hollows of the tree, laid up carefully, together, and never touched but in cases of necessity. Thus, one single, tree serves for a retreat and a storehouse, and without leaving it during the winter, the squirrel possesses all those enjoyments that its .nature is capable of receiving.

The MARMOT is almost as big as a hare, but is more corpulent than a cat, and has shorter legs. its head pretty nearly resembles that of a hare, except that its ears are much shorter.. It is clothed all over with very long hair, and a shorter fur below. These are of different colours, black and grey.

The length of the hair gives the body the appearance ‘of greater corpulence than it really has, and at the same time shortens the feet so that its belly seems to touch the ground. Its tail is tufted and well furnished with hair,’ and it is . carried in ‘a straight direction with its body. It has five claws ‘behind, and only four before-. These it uses as the squirrel does, to carry its food to its mouth, and it usually sits upon. its hinder parts to feed in the manner of that little animal. It is readily taught to dance, to wield a cudgel, and to obey the voice of its master. Like the cat, it has an antipathy to the dog, and when it becomes familiar to the family, and is sure of being supported by his master, it attacks and bites even the largest mastiff. From its squat, mus­cular make, it has great strength joined to great agility. However, it is in general a very in offensive animal; and, except its enmity to dogs, seems to live in friendship with every creature, unless when, provoked. As its legs are very short, and made somewhat like those of a bear, it is often seen sitting up, and even walking on its hind legs. Like all the hare kind, it runs much swifter up hill than down; it climbs trees with great ease, and runs up the clefts of rocks, or the contiguous walls of houses, with great facility.

Those arms which the HEDGE-HOG possesses in miniature, the PORCUPINE has in an enlarged degree.

In the one, the spines are but an inch long; in the other, a foot. The porcupine is about two feet long, and fifteen inches high. It is covered with quills from ten to fourteen inches long, resem­bling the barrel of a goose quill in thickness; but tapering and sharp at both ends. Each quill is thickest in the middle; and inserted into the animal’s skin, in the same manner as feathers in birds. The biggest. are often fifteen inches long, and a quarter of an inch in diameter; extremely sharp, and capable of inflicting a mortal wound. They are harder than common quills, and solid at the end which is not fixed in the skin. All these quills incline backwards, like the bristles of a hog; but when the animal is irritated, rise, and stand upright.

Such is the formation of this quadruped, in those parts in which it differs from most others. As to the rest of its figure the muzzle bears some resemblance to that of a hare, but black; the legs are very short, and the feet have five toes, both before and behind; and these, as well as the belly, the head and all other parts of the body, are covered with a sort of short hair, like prickles; there being no part, except the ears and the soal of the foot, that is free from them: the ears are thinly covered with very fine hair; and are in shape like those of mankind: the eyes are small like those of a hog, being only one third of an inch from one corner to the other. After the skin is taken off, there appears a kind of paps on those parts of the body from whence the large quills proceed; these are about the size of a small pea, each answering to as many holes as appear on the outward surface of the skin, and which are about half an inch deep, like as many hollow pipes, wherein the quills are fixed, as in so many sheaths.

This animal partakes much of the nature of the hedge-hÓg; having this formidable apparatus rather to defend itself, than annoy the enemy. Indeed many have supposed that it was capable of discharging at its foes its quills. But, it is now well known that its quills remain fixed in the skin, and are then only shed ‘when the animal moults them, as birds do their feathers.

The PANG0LIN, a native of the torrid climates of the ancient continent, is, of all animals, the best protected from external injury. It is three or four feet long, or, taking in the tail, from six to eight. It has a small head, a very long nose, a short thick neck, a long body, legs very short, and a tail extremely long. It has no teeth, but is armed with five toes on each foot, with long ‘white claws. But what it is chiefly distinguished by, is its scaly covering. These scales defend the animal on all parts, except the under part of the head and neck, under the shoulders, the breast, the belly, and the inner side of the legs; all which parts are covered with a smooth, soft skin, without hair. The scales of this extraordinary creature are of different sizes and different forms, and stuck upon the body somewhat like the leaves of an artichoke. The largest are near the tail, which is covered with them like the rest of the body. These are above three inches broad, and about two inches long; thick in the middle, and sharp at the edges. They are extremely hard, like horn. They are convex on the outside, and a little concave on the inner; One edge sticks in the skin, while the other laps over that immediately behind it. Those that cover the tail are so hard, when the animal has acquired its full growth, as to turn a musket ball.

This lapped round the rest of the body and, being defended with shells even more cutting than any other part, the creature continues in perfect security. Its shells are so large, so thick, and so pointed, that they repel every animal of prey; they make a coat of armour that wounds while it resists, and at once protects and threatens. The most cruel beasts of the forest, the tiger, the panther and hyæna, make vain attempts to force it. They roll it about, but all to no purpose; the pangoim remains safe while its invader feels the reward of its rashness.

The ARMADILLO is chiefly an inhabitant of South America; a harmless creature, incapable of offending any other, and fur­nished with a peculiar covering for its own defence.

This animal being covered like a tortoise, with a shell, or rather a number of shells, its other proportions are not easily discerned. It appears, at first view, a round misshapen mass, with a long head, and a very large tail sticking out at either end.

It is of different sizes, from a foot to three feet long, and covered with a shell, divided into several pieces, that lap over each other, like the plates in the tail of a lobster. This covers the head, the neck, the back, the sides, the rump, and the tail, to the very point. The only parts to which it does not extend are, the throat, the breast, and the belly, which are covered with a white soft skin. By this means the animal has a motion in its back, and the armour gives way to its necessary inflexions. These shells are differently coloured in different kinds, but most usually they are of a dirty grey. This colour in all arises from another peculiar circumstance in their con formation; for the shell itself is covered with a softish skin, which is smooth and transparent.

BEASTS may be considered as a numerous groupe, terminated on every side by some (hat but in -part deserve the name. one quarter we see a tribe covered with quills, or furnished with wings, that lift them among the inhabitants of the air; on another, we behold a diversity clothed with scales and shells, to rank with insects; and still, on a third, we see them descending into the waters, to live among the mute tenants of that element. We now come to a numerous tribe, that seem to make approaches even to humanity; that bear an awkward resemblance to the human form, and discover the same faint efforts at intellectual sagacity.

Animals of the MONKEY class arc furnished with hands instead of paws ; their ears, eyes, eye-lids, lips, and breasts, are like those of mankind; their internal conformation also bears some distant like ness; and the whole offers a picture that may mortify the pride of such as make their persons the principle objects of their admiration.

These approaches, however, are gradual and some bear the marks of our form, more strongly than others.

In the APE-kind, We see the whole external machine strongly impressed with tile human likeness ; these walk upright, want a tail, have fleshy posteriors, have calves to their legs, and feet nearly like ours.

In the BABooN-kind, we perceive a more distant approach; the beast mixing in every part of the animal’s figure: these generally go upon all fours; but some, when upright, are as tall as a man they have short tails, long snouts, and are possessed of brutal fierceness.

The MONKEY-kind are removed a step further: these are much less; with tails as long as their bodies, and flattish faces.

Lastly, the OPOSSUM-kind, seem to lose all resemblance of the human figure, except in having hands; their noses are lengthened out, and every part of their bodies totally different from the human; however, as they grasp their food with one hand, which beasts cannot do, this single similitude gives them an air of sagacity, to which they have scarce any other pretensions.

The BABOON IS from three to four feet high, very strong built, with a thick body and limbs, and canine teeth, much longer than those of men. It walks more commonly upon all fours than upright, and its hands as well as its feet are armed with long, sharp claws, instead of the broad, round nails, of the ape kind.

At the Cape of Good Hope, they are under a sort of natural discipline, and go about whatever they undertake with surprising skill and regularity. When they set about robbing an orchard or vineyard, for they are extremely fond of grapes and apples, they go in large companies, and with preconcerted deliberation; part of them enter the enclosure, while one is set to watch. The rest stand without the fence, and form a line reaching all the way from their fellows within to their rendezvous without, which is generally in some craggy mountain. Every thing being thus disposed, the plunderers within the orchard throw the fruit to those that are without, as fast as they can gather it ; or, if tile wall or hedge be high, to those that sit on the top; and these hand the plunder to those next them on the other side. Thus the fruit is pitched from one to another all along the line, till it is safely deposited at their head quarters. They catch it as readily as the most skilful tennis-player can a ball; and while the busi­ness is going forward, a profound silence is observed. Their sentinel, during this whole time, continues upon the watch, and if he perceives any one coming, instantly sets up a loud cry, on which signal, the whole company scamper off. Nor yet are they willing to go empty handed; for if they be plundering a bed of melons, for instance, they go off with one in their mouths, one in their hands, and one under their arm. If the pursuit is hot, they drop first-that from under their arm, then that from their hand; and, if it be continued, they at last let fail that which they had kept in their mouths.

The CHIMPANESE is an animal found in Angola, nearly approaching to the human figure; but of fierce disposition, and remarkably mischievous. In the year 1738, one of these creatures was brought over to England. It about twenty months old. [The parent had it in her. arms when she was killed: she was five feet high.] It was of the female sex, naturally walked erect, was hairy on some part of the body and limbs, and of a strong, muscular make. It would eat any coarse food, but was very fond of tea, which it drank out of a cup, with milk and sugar, as, we do. It slept in the manner of the human species, and its voice resembled tile human, when people speak very hastily; but without any articulate sounds. The males of this species are very bold, and will fight a man, though he is armed. It is said, they often assault and ravish the negro women, when they meet them in the woods.

There is another strange species of monkey found in the West-Indies, of the size of a fox. Its face is raised high, its eyes black and shining, and its cars small and round. His hairs are so nicely disposed all over the body, that he appears perfectly smooth; and they are much longer under the chin, so that they form a kind of beard there.

These are found in great numbers in the woods, and make a loud and frightful noise. But it is very common for one only to make a noise, and the rest to form a mute assembly round him.

Marcgrave says, “I have frequently seen great numbers of them, meeting about noon: at which time they formed a large circle, and one placing himself above the rest, began to make a loud noise. ‘When he had sung thus by himself, for some time, the rest all remaining silent, he lifted up his hand, and they all instantly joined in a sort of chorus. This intolerable yell continued till the same monkey, who gave the signal for their begin­ning, lifted up his hand a second time. On this they were all silent again, and so finished the business of tile assembly.

The OPOSSUM IS about the size of a cat, only more corpulent, and its legs more robust. It is of a kind of chesnut colour, very bright and glossy. Its head is long, and terminates in a snout, somewhat like a fox’s. The tail is long, and much resembles that of a rat, which it twists about with a surprising facility. The legs being short, the body is carried at no great distance from the ground. On the belly of the female, a bag is formed by the skin being doubled. It is not very deep, the closest part being toward the upper part of the body, and the open part toward the lower. This is covered with fur, like the rest of tile body, so that it is not very obvious to the sight.

It is a harmless, but likewise a defenceless animal: and the young of no creature are produced so small and tender, in respect of the parent animal. Therefore that bag is extremely useful to them. They are cherished there by the warmth of the parent’s body, till toward noon: then they go abroad, till at the first warning by the evening cold, they retire into their lodging again. Nor is this all the help which it affords: for as the tender young of the opossum are delicate morsels, they would be exposed to the rage of many animals, both by day and night. But the body of the parent is a safe and ready receptacle for them. By day she is as watchful over her brood, as a hen over her chickens. She is alarmed at the slightest appearance of danger, and by a noise which they well understand, instantly calls them into her bag. At night she constantly takes them in, and consults for herself and them in a very uncommon manner. There are those among the devourers of her young, who will climb a tree after her. Therefore, when she has climbed, to secure herself and her young still farther, she twists her tail twice round some small bough, and then drops from it. There she hangs with her head downward: and whenever she pleases she recovers the branch with her feet, by a swing, and loosening her tail, walks about as usual.

To enable her thus to hang, there are spikes or hooks in the under side of the vertebre of the tail. Indeed, in the first three vertebre there are none: for there they would bç of no use. But they ai’e found in all the rest. They are placed just at the articulation of each joint, and in the middle from the sides. Nothing could be more advantageously contrived. For when the tail is twisted round a bough, these hooks easily sustain the weight. And there 15 no more labour of the muscles required, than just to bow or crook the tail.

Another animal of a very peculiar kind is an ICHNEUMON. It is of the weasel kind, with a longer and narrower body than the cat, something approaching to the shape and colour of a badger. Its nose is black and sharp, like that of a ferret. Its colour is a yellowish grey. Its legs are short, and each of its feet has fIve toes. Its tail is very long; its teeth and tongue much like those of a cat. It is a very cleanly animal, very brisk and nimble, and of great courage. It will engage a dog, and will destroy a cat by three bites on the throat. But it is quite inoffensive to mankind, and is kept tame in Egypt, running about the house, destroying all vermin, and playing tricks, like spaniels.

When wild, he cannot overtake any nimble animal. But he makes this up by assiduity. His legs being short, he is not much seen; but he has a way of concealing himself yet more, by crawl­ing with his belly close to the ground, which he does all day long. But on the least noise, for his hearing is exceeding quick, he starts up erect on his hinder legs. If the noise is made by any reptile, bird or small beast, he observes whereabouts it is, places his nose directly in a line with it, and begins to move toward it. He is silent and slow, but constant in his approach; often stopping to hear or look forward, and knows exactly where the creature is: when he is got within about five feet, he stops. Nature, which has denied him speed, has given him strength to leap beyond most other creatures. Having taken good aim, he springs from the place, and falls directly on his prey. Thus he deals with beasts and birds. ‘But to serpents he gives chase, and to avoid their bite, always seizes them by the neck.

Gesnes tells, that the ichneumon is not only an enemy to serpents themselves, but to their eggs also: which he hunts after continually and destroys, though he does not feed upon them. How mercifully has God given this animal in the countries where those terrible reptiles most abound And which, without this provision, would be so overrun with them, as’ to be uninhabitable.

The JACKAL IS of the carnivorous kind. They hunt by scent and go in packs. They pursue with patience, rather than swift­ness, and excite each other by a spirit of emulation.

It goes for current that the jackal discovers the lion’s prey;-that each of these retains one of them, and having satisfied himself, lets his dependants feed on the offals of his repast.

But the truth is, there are great numbers of jackals in some woods, and when one pf these sees a stag, or other large beast, which is not a beast of prey, he sets up his cry, which is like that of a hound, and follows it. As he continues his cry, the other jackals that are within hearing follow likewise. And could the creature outrun those that began the chase, there is a continual supply; so that it cannot escape. When they have run it down, they worry it at once, and it is devoured almost in an instant. After this the jackals disperse, till another cry invites them.

They hunt generally in the night, and in the parts of tile east, where they are most frequent, there never is a night but they are heard, in one part or other of the woods. The other beasts of prey understand the sound; and frequently profit by it. If a lion, tyger or leopard happens to be near, he hears the cry, and stands upon tile watch. These large animals are all very swift, but they are lazy, and never make long pursuits. If the creature pursued be far off, and runs another way, they never trouble themselves about it. But if it be near, or if it runs towards the place where the lion is, he will dart out upon it as it goes by. And the little animals that hunted it down must stand by, and be content with what their master leaves.

The SABLE-MICE, which were first observed in Lapland, in 1 697, are near as big as a small squirrel. Their skin is streaked and spotted with black and light brown. They have two teeth above, and two under, very sharp and pointed. Their feet are like a squirrel’s. They are so fierce, that if a stick be held out to them, they will bite it, and hold so fast, ‘that they may be swinged about in the air. In their march they keep a direct line, generally from north east to south west. Innumerable thousands are in each troop, which is usually a square. They lie still by day, and march by night. The distance of the lines they go ^in, parallel to each other, is of some ells. Whatever they meet in their war, though it were a fire, a deep well, a torrent, lake, or morass, they avoid it not, but rush forward. By this means many thousands of them are destroyed. If they are met swimming over a lake, and are forced out of their course, they quickly return into it again. If they are met in woods or fields and stopt, they raise themselves on their hinder legs, like a dog, and make a kind of barking noise, leaping up as high as a man’s knee, and’ defending their line as long as they can. If at last they arc forced out of it, they creep into holes, and set up a cry, sounding like biab, biab. If a house stands in their way, they never come into it, but stop there till they die. But they will eat their way through a stack of corn or hay. When they march through a meadow, they eat the roots of the grass: and if they encamp there by day, they utterly spoil it, and make it look just as if it had been burnt. They are exceeding fruitful: but their breeding does not hinder their march. For some of them have been observed, to carry one young in their mouth, and another upon’ their back, In winter they live under the snow, having their breathing holes, as hares and other creatures have.

I would mention only two creatures more, very extraordinary, and yet but little known.

The GLUTTON is frequent in the forests of Germany. It is rarely seen twice of the same figure. It is of the weasel-kind, and is, in its middle state, about the size of a turn-spit dog. Its body is long, its legs short. Its colour is brown, with a reddish tinge; but its breast and belly are white. The tail is long and bushy; the head small and sharp at the nose. The teeth are exceeding sharp, and the claws sharper than almost in any creature.

This is the most hungry animal in the world, but is ill provided for catching its prey. Most creatures can out-run it, and itself can scarce run away from any thing. But what he wants in swiftness, be has in climbing, which he performs to admiration: its sharp claws enabling it to run up a tree as fast as on the ground. Its usual place is some large and spreading oak, chose both for safety and for catching its prey. He squats all day on some large branch; and if nothing offers below, he preys in the night on whatever creatures he can find on the tree above. Many birds roost on such trees, which he climbs softly to, ‘and devours. But his favourite food is larger animals. He will lie many days on a slanting bough; and when any which he likes comes underneath, he drops down upon them. Hares and rabbits seldom escape him; but he chooses rather a goat, or any creature of that size. When one of these comes under the tree, he creeps from bough to bough, till he comes just over it, and then drops down upon it. He always contrives to fasten on the fleck. In an instant, he fixes both his teeth and claws, and lies across the neck, near the shoulders. Here he is secure; and while the poor creature runs with all its speed, he is feeding on its flesh. At length it drops, and he conUnues eating in the same ravenous manner, till from a mere skeleton, his back becomes round, and his sides swelled out like a tun. Still he continues to eat, till he can eat no longer. He, too, drops down, and lies panting for breath. He resembles a dead carcase, swelled and ready to burst with lying in the sun: and being unable to move for a long time, is frequently destroyed, and sometimes perishes without an enemy.

The God of nature seems to have formed the SLOTH, to represent to us in a strong light, that odious and despicable vice,-from which it takes its name. Its body is short, its head small, and it has scarce any tail. Its fur is long, thick, and of a greyish green, so that when seen on the bough of a tree, it appears only like an excressence or cluster of moss. It is about the size of a cat, but the legs are short, as is the neck: and its long and thick covering, renders it so shapeless, that it seems only an irregular lump of living matter. Its little and remarkably ugly head stands close between the shoulders. The face has much of the monkey aspect. Its small and heavy eyes, are always half shut, and it has no appearance at all of any ears. Its feet are flat and very narrow, but armed with sharp claws, for laying hold on the bark of a tree, by striking deep into it.

He rarely changes his place; and never, but when compelled by absolute necessity. As upon the ground it would be a prey to every other animal, so its constant residence is on a tree. Here it is safe from all animals, but those who climb these trees for time birds that roost on them. The leaves and tender part of the tree are its food, and serve it for drink as well as meat. It never moves to another branch, till it has devoured all the nourishment upon that where it is stationed: nor from one tree to another, till the first is wholly withered and wasted.

It is observable, the sloth always ascends to the top of a tree, only baiting as he goes, before he begins his devastations. And this is doubtless from the instinctive guidance of nature. For was it to begin eating upward, when it had devoured all, it would have to climb down from the top of a dead tree, and would he half starved in his journey. But this is not all. The havoc which one sloth makes on the largest tree is easily seen. For he eats not only the leaves, but all the buds and bark, leaving only a dead branch: so that unless the same thing might happen by accident, this would betray the creature. It does so happen; and trees then put on the same form, as when they are left by the sloth. But they always die at the top first, and so gradually downward. This animal therefore, wonderfully taught, begins its havoc at the top. As it feeds, the tree decays; but its decay is in the course of nature. The decay spreads downward; and when he has eaten the last of his provision, he is near the ground, and has only to walk away to another tree. But if it is at any distance, his motion is so slow, that he grows quite lean in the expedition.

As the sloth brings forth her young in the hollow of a tree, so is she led by the same wonderful instinct, to Conduct them to the topmost branches, as soon as they crawl out. When she is big with young, she climbs some old, hollow tree ; and having fixed on a convenient spot for her young, she climbs to the very highest bough, and there feeds faster than usual. When site is full, she descends with unaccustomed haste, and brings forth one, two, or three young ones. It is well she is full fed ; for site is to support these with her milk, till they can crawl out, without having any supply herself. She is round and fleshy when she retires for this purpose, but a mere skeleton when she comes out.. She crawls as well as she can, to the part where she left off feeding, and her young follow her. Nor will she touch any thing in the way, however both her hunger and laziness may prompt her to it.

It is the most timorous of all creatures. And with reason; for it can neither fight nor fly. While it is journeying on the ground, the tread of a human foot shakes the earth enough to put it into terrors. It trembles: the head is turned about every way, and time mouth is open to cry like a young kitten.

Insignificant as this creature is, there is a special Providence in the formation and care of it. Not designed for walking, its claws enable it to climb, and then to hold fast in its station. Helpless as it is, the universal Provider has assigned it a place of safety, where it finds plenty of food; and as it cannot easily seek for drink, it has no need of any. To render it the less obnoxious to pursuit, its colour secures. it even from view: and its amazing instinct of feeding front the top to the bottom, proves a designing and directing hand.

Before I proceed to some general reflections upon BEASTS, I beg leave to take notice of one circumstance, relating to several species of them, which is very strange, though very common. The horns of many animals fall off every year, and new ones come in their place. Our (leer drop them in March, and the new horns arc full grown by the July following. We may very justly rank this among the most wonderful phenomena of nature, which yields nothing analogous to the growth of such hard, solid bodies, of so great a bulk, in so short a time. Many idle opinions have been maintained, concerning the cause of their falling off. The truth seems to be this: they are a sort of vegetables, grow­ing on animals, as the nails and hand on man, and feathers on birds. And there is some analogy between the growth of them, and that of branches and leaves on trees. Trees commonly drop their leaves in autumn, because the nourishing juice flows into them no longer. And at certain periods, these parts of the animal Thop off, because the blood and juices cease to flow in them. At this time, the hollow part at ‘the root of the horn grows hard, and the pores, through which the juices passed, grow up. And as no more nourishment can then be Carried to the horn, it decays and falls oft’. It is probable this Stoppage of the pores happens, as soon as the horns are at their full growth. But they are so fixt to the head, that it takes a long time for them to loosen and fall. Whereas in leaves, their stalks are so tender, that when the juice ceases to flow, they presently wither and fall.

Time analogy between the falling off of deer’s horns, and the falling of leaves and ripe fruit from the tree, will receive light from observing the process of nature in the latter case. If the stalk from which a ripe orange has fallen, be compared with that part of a deer’s forehead, from which a horn is just fallen, it will plainly appear, that nature has operated by the same laws in both. The young horns, while yet soft, are full of blood vessels; and if cut off, especially near the head, bleed violently. By these vessels they are supplied with nourishment for their growth. But these dry up, when there is no farther occasion for them. And hence it is, that no ill symptoms attend the falling off of these parts, when full grown.

So far’ we may give a probable account: but who can account for this, that if a stag be castrated, while he is so young as’ not to have horns, he will never have any: and if castrated afterward, while his horns are on, he will never cast them

10. It remains only to add a few reflections. And first, what admirable wisdom is displayed in the motion of various animals, suited to their various occasions! In some, their motion is swift; in others, slow; and both diversified a thousand ways.

And first, for swift or slow motion. This is exactly propor­tioned to the occasion of each animal. REPTILES, whose food, habitation and nests lie in the next clod, plant, tree, or hole, or which can bear long hunger, need neither legs nor wings, but their vermicular motion answers all their purposes.

BEASTS, whose occasions require a larger room, have accord­ingly a swifter motion: and this in various degrees, answerable to their range for food, and the enemies they are to escape from.’

But as for BIRDS, who are to traverse vast tracts of land and water, for their food, habitation, breeding their young, and for places of retreat and security, from various inconveniences: they are endowed with the faculty of flying; and that swiftly or slowly, a long or short time, according to their occasions. In all this, the wisdom of God appears, ordering all things well.

Again. How admirable in the motion of all creatures, is the neat, geometrical performance of it! The most accurate mathe­matician cannot prescribe a nicer motion, than that they perform, to the legs and wings of those that fly or walk, or to the bodies of those that creep. Neither can the body be more completely poised, for the motion it is to have in every creature. From the largest elephant to the smallest mite, the body is exactly balanced. T he head is not too heavy, nor too light for the rest of the body, nor the rest of the body for it. The bowels are not loose, or so placed as to swag, over-balance, or overset the body: but well braced, and accurately distributed to maintain the equipoise of zt. The motive parts also arc admirably well fixed,. in respect to the centre of gravity, placed in the very point which best serves to convey the body. Every leg bears its true share of the weight. And the wings are so exactly placed, that even in the fluid medium, the air, the body is as truly balanced, as we could have balanced it with the nicest scales.

Yet again. What an admirable provision is made for the mo­tion of some creatures, by temporory parts! Frogs, for instance, have tails in their tadpole state, which fall out when their legs are grown out. The water-newt also, when young, has four fins, two on a side, to poise and keep the body upright. But as soon as the legs are fully grown, these presently drop off.

Secondly, the bore of the gullet in all creatures, is answerable to their occasions. In a fox, which, feeds on bones, as in all ossi­vorous beasts, it is very large. But in a squirrel it is exceeding small, lest he should disgorge his meat in his descending leaps: and so in rats and mice, which often run along a wall with their heads downward.

Thirdly, in all animals the strength and size of their stomach are proportioned to their food. Those whose food is more tender and nutritive, have it smaller, thinner, and weaker. Whereas it is large and strong in those whose food is less nutritive, and whose bodies require large supplies.

All carnivorous beasts have the smallest stomachs, as flesh goes the farthest. Those that feed on fruits and roots have them of a middle size. Sheep and oxen, which feed on grass, have the greatest. Yet the horse, hare, and rabbit, though granivorous, have comparatively small ones. For a horse is made for labour, and both this and the hare for quick and continued motion: for which the most easy respiration, and so the freest motion of the diaphragm is requisite, but this could not be, did the stomach lie big and cumbersome upon it, as’ is does in sheep and oxen.

Another very remarkable circumstance is, that those animals which have teeth on both jaws, have but one stomach; whereas most of those which have no upper teeth, or no teeth at all, have three stomachs. For the meat which is first chewed, is easily digested; but that which is swallowed whole, requires a stronger concoctive power.

Fourthly, all the parts of the same animal are adapted one to the other. So, for instance, the length of the neck is always pro portioned to that of the legs Only the elephant has a short neck for the weight of his head and teeth, would to a long neck, have been insupportable. But then he is provided With a trunk, which abundantly supplies the defect. In other beasts and birds, the neck is always commensurate to the legs; so that they which have long legs, have long necks, and they that have short legs, short ones; as may be observed in lizards of all kinds, and the king of them, the crocodile. And creatures that have no legs, as they want no necks, so they have none, as fishes. This equality between the length of the neck and legs, is peculiarÏy seen in beasts that feed on grass. Their legs and necks are very nearly equal. Very nearly, I say, because the neck must necessarily have some advantage; for it cannot hang perpendicular, but must incline a little.

Moreover, as these creatures must hold their heads down, for a considerable time together, which would be very laborious and painful for the muscles, therefore on each side of the’ neck, nature has placed a thick and strong ligament, capable of stretch­ing and shrinking again as’ need requires: this, which is vulgarly called white leather, extends from the head (to which, and the next vertebre of the neck is fastened at the end) to the middle vertebre of the back, to which it is knit at the other. And by the assistance of this, they are able to hold their head in that posture all day long.

Fifthly, the parts of all animals are exactly fitted to their manner of living. A notable instance of this is in the swine. His natural food being chiefly the roots of plants, he is provided with a long and strong snout; long, that he may thrust it to a convenient depth in the ground, without offence to his eyes; strong and conveniently formed, for rooting and turning up the ground. And besides, lie has an extremely quick scent, for finding out such roots as are fit for him. Hence in Italy, the usual way of finding truffles, or subterraneous mushrooms, is by tying a cord to the hind leg of a pig, and driving him before them into their pastures. They then observe, where he stops and begins to root: and digging there they are sure to find a truffle. So in pastures where there arc earth nuts, though the roots, are deep in the ground, and the leaves are quite gone, the swine will find them by their scent, and root only in the places where they grow.

Another instance of like ‘nature we have in the PORPUS, anciently wrote porc-pesce, that is, swine-fish, which resembles the hog, both in the strength of his snout and in the manner of getting his food. For the stomach of one of these when dissected, was found full of sand-eels, which lie deep in the sand, and cannot be gotten, but by rooting and digging there.

That very action, for which we look upon swine as unclean creatures, namely wallowing in the mire, is designed by nature for a good end not only to cool their bodies, which fair water would do as well, but also to suffocate and destroy fleas, lice, and other insects, which are troublesome and hurtful to them. For the same reason, poultry and divers other birds bask themselves in the (lust in hot summer weather.

The variety of shape and colour observable in BEASTS, prevents any two from being exactly alike, as much as the human features distinguish mankind one from another. Wherefore, then was this variety bestowed upon brutes Are they at all sensible of such diversity Are they the more happy, or more useful to one another for it No. ‘this variety then is doubtless intended for the sake of man, to prevent confusion, and decide and ascertain his property.