geoghaphy of animals in south devOxN. 85 



at the wished-for goal, nnd at many useful deduc- 

 tions. The combined observations of such natural- 

 ists as these, shall constitute finally amass of know- 

 ledge, bearing no proportion in the extent to the 

 lists of Animals now published, no comparison in 

 importance to the physiology of the present day, and 

 perhaps no relation to the systematic arrangements 

 now extant. Topical is therefore far more important 

 than general Zoological Geoo;raphy, and, in propor- 

 tion to its importance, do we feel the task to surpass 

 our capabilities: the subject, however, is always 

 open to the additions and corrections of other na- 

 turalists. 



The laws, which we stated in a former paper regu- 

 late the distribution of animals over the whole earth, 

 will be found to apply within our present compass 

 more or less obviously, and with greater or less 

 effect. Animals are placed in circumstances adapted 

 to their respective necessities and conformations ; 

 migrations being those changes in situation caused 

 by the revolutions of the seasons, which induce for 

 the most part an uncongenial temperature, a defi- 

 ciency of food, (fee, or by other circumstances not 

 yet clearly defined, in the instances of stragglers or 

 irregular visitors. The geographical ranges of some 

 animals are confined to an island, or some small 

 space, and occasionally it is found that the entire 

 Fauna of such spot is peculiar to it. Corresponding 

 latitudes of the world exhibit creatures alike in their 

 endowments and organization, and consequently in 

 rank in the scale of beings. Mountainous regions, 

 inasmuch as they differ in climate and vegetation, in 

 proportion as we ascend, produce also various kinds 

 of animal existence. Certain animals are endowed 

 with constitutions, which can support different, and 

 even extreme, circumstances of temperature ; and oc- 

 casionally we find instances where animals have a very 

 extensive distribution, and are observed to inhabit 

 countries far apart. Such are the laws which we 

 ventured to ascribe to this subject, and we now pro- 



