%6 STUDIES OF NATURE. 



amply unfold in the Study which treats of plants. 

 Jt may henceforward be confidered as a well- 

 founded remark, on the fubjed of thofe harmo- 

 nies, and of thofe contrails, that vegetables, whofe 

 flowers have the lead luftre, are frequented by 

 animals of the mod brilliant colours ; and, on 

 the contrary, that the vegetables which are mod 

 highly coloured, ferve as an afylum to the dufkieft 

 animals. This is particularly evident in countries 

 fituated between the Tropics -, where the trees and 

 herbage, which have few, if any, apparent flowers, 

 lodge and fupport birds, infects, nay monkies, of 

 the mod lively colours. It is in the plains of In- 

 dia that the peacock difplays his gaudy plumage, 

 on lTirubbery defpoiled of verdure by the burning 

 heat of the Sun. In the fame climates it is, that 

 the parrot race, confifting of fo many different 

 fpecies, enamelled with a thoufand various colours, 

 perch on the gray boughs of the palm-tree, and 

 that clouds of little paroquets, green as the eme- 

 rald, alight on fields embrowned by the length- 

 ened heats of Summer. 



In our temperate regions, on the contrary, moft 

 of our birds are dull-coloured, becaufe moft of our 

 vegetables have flowers and fruits with fhining co- 

 lours. It is very remarkable, that fuch of our 

 birds and infects as have lively colours ufually 

 choofe, for their habitation, vegetables that have 



no 



