OF N A t U R E. 115 



Anlongft qiiadrupeds wild beafts are mofl 

 remarkably pernicious and dangerous to others, 

 ^s the hawk kind among birds. But that they 

 may not, by too atrocious a butchery, deftroy 

 whole fpecies; even thcfe are circumfcribed 

 within certain bounds, Firfl, as to the mod 

 fierce of all, it deferves to be noted how few 

 they are in proportion to other animals. Se- 

 condly, the number of them is not equal in 

 all countries; Thus France and England breed 

 no wolves^ and the northern countries no tigers 

 or lions. Thirdly, thefe fierce animals fome- 

 times fall upon, and deftroy one another* Thus 

 the wolf devours the fox. The dog infefts 

 both the wolf and fox ; nay wolves in a body 

 will fometimes venture to fufround a bear. 

 The tiger often kills its own male whelps. 

 Dogs are fometimes feized with madnefs and 

 deftroy their fellows^ or with the mange deftroy 

 themfelves. 



L^ftly, wild beafts feldom arrive at fo great 

 an age as animals, which live on vegetables. 

 For they are fubjed: from their alcaline diet to 

 various difeafes, which bring them fooner to 

 an end. 



But although all animals are infefted by their 



peculiar enemies, yet they are often able to 



1 2 elude 



