ii8 GE C O N O M Y 



them, and in cafe the guard fhould be caught 

 afleep, the reft tear him to pieces*. Hence the 

 huntino- of rapacious animals is not always fuc- 

 cefsfull, and they are often obliged to labor for 

 a whole day to no purpofe. For this reafon the 

 Creator has given them fuch a nature, that they 

 can bear fafting a long time. Thus the lion 

 lurks in his den many days without famifhins:, 

 and the wolf^ when he has once well fatisfied 

 his hunger, can faft many w^eeks without any 

 difficulty. 



It appears by this table that the rmaller birds in general 

 have more {all in proportion than the larger of the efculent 

 kind, fach as the pheafant, partridge, woodcock, ring-dove, 

 &c. and that it fhould bs {o contrived appears reafonable on 

 more accounts than one. Finl, becaufe fmall birds living, 

 many of them, amongft fhrubs and buflies, are obliged to 

 make fhort and quick motions in hopping from bough to 

 bough, at which time they always make ufe of their wings; 

 fome of them live chiefly on worms and flies, which are not 

 to be caught without great nimblenefs, and frequent gardens 

 and houfes and are more liable to the attacks of cats and 

 other animals. And thofe which live in the open fields are 

 expofed to the hawk, and were they not quick at turning 

 they would fcarcely ever efcape. 

 Again the different proportions of the bulk to the farface 

 in large and fmall birds is to the difadvantage of the latter, 

 on account of the greater proportional refiflance of the air, 

 and this wanted fome compenfation. 

 More might be added on this fubje£l,but i am afraid m^ofk 

 readers will think what i have already faid is j;iiore than 

 enough. 



* Maregraf. Braf. 227. Biberg. 



