OF N A T U R E. 119 



If wc confider the end for which it pleafed 

 the Supreme Being to conftitute fuch an order 

 of nature, that fome animals lliould be, as it 

 were, created only to be miferably butchered 

 by others, it fecms that his Providence not 

 only aimed at fuflaining, but alfo keeping a 

 juft proportion amongft all the Ipecies , and fo 

 prevent any one of them increafing too much, 

 to the detriment of men, and other animals. 

 For if it be true, as it is moft afluredly, that 

 the furface of the earth can fupport only a cer- 

 tain number of inhabitants, they mull all pe- 

 rifh, if the fame number were doubled, or 

 tripled, Derh. Phyf. Theol. p. 237. 



There are fome viviparous //Vj, which bring 

 forth 2000 young. Thefe in a little time would 

 fill the air, and like clouds intercept the rays 

 of the fun, unlefs they were devoured by birds^ 

 fpiders, and many other animals. 



Storks^ and falcons free iRgypt from frogSy 

 which after the inundation of the Nile, cover 

 all the countrey. The fame birds alfo clear 

 Palefline of mice. Bellonius on this fubjedt 

 fays as follows. *^ The ftorks come to Mgy^t 

 " in fuch abundance, that the fields, and mea- 

 ^' dows are white with them. Yet the JEgyp- 

 *' tians are not difpleafed with this fight 5 as 

 • Mufchenbr. 



I 4 ''frogs 



