ÏÔ2 STUDIES OF NATURE, 



fow them again every where. This plant enfures, 

 the whole year through, the fubfiftence of the 

 fmall birds of our climates. Thus, Providence 

 is fo much the more powerful, as the creature is 

 more feeble. 



Other plants have relations to animals the more 

 tenderly arTecling, in proportion as climates and 

 feafons feemto exercife over the animal the greater 

 degree of feverity. Were we enabled to invefti- 

 gate thefe adaptations to the bottom, they would 

 explain all the varieties of vegetation, in every la- 

 titude, and in every feafon. Wherefore, for ex- 

 ample, do moft of the trees of the North (bed 

 their leaves in Winter ; and wherefore do thofe of 

 the South retain theirs all the year round ? Where- 

 fore, in defiance of the Winter's cold in the North, 

 do the firs there continue always clothed with ver- 

 dure ? It is a matter of no fmall difficulty to dis- 

 cover the caufe of this ; but the end is obvioufly 

 difcernible. If the birch and the larch of the 

 North drop their foliage, on the approach of Win- 

 ter, it is to furnifh litter to the beads of the fo- 

 reft ; and if the pyramidical fir there retains it's 

 leaves, it is to afford them ihelter amidfh the 

 fnows. This tree then prefents to the birds the 

 moffes which are fufpended on it's branches, and 

 it's cones replenifhed with ripe kernels. In their 



yicinity 



