2,6 STUDIES OF NATURE. 



fpecies of cartilaginous fiflies, which live only on 

 fiefli, fuchas thehygian, the long fliark, the broad 

 thorn-back, the flipper, the polypus, armed with 

 air-holes, and all the varieties of fea-dogs, fwini 

 there in crowds, conftantly employed in devouring 

 the wreck of bodies thrown upon the fhore. 



Nature calls in, befides, the infedl legions to 

 haften forward their confumption. The wafps, 

 furniflied with fciffars, cut afunder the flefliy 

 parts ; the flies pump out the fluids, the fea- 

 worms cut. in pieces the bones. Thefe laft on the 

 fouthern coafts, and efpecially at the mouths of ri- 

 vers, are in fuch prodigious quantities, and armed 

 with augers fo formidable, that they are capable 

 of devouring a fliip of war in lefs time than it 

 coft to build her ; and have thereby reduced the 

 maritime Powers to the neceflity of lately flieath- 

 ing the bottoms of their fquadrons with copper, 

 as a fecurity againft their attacks. 



/ The wrecks of all thefe bodies, after having 

 ferved for food to the innumerable tribes of other 

 filhes, fome of which are provided with beaks 

 formed like a fpoon, and others like a pipe, for 

 picking up the very crumbs of this vafl: table ; re- 

 duced, at length, through fuch a feries of digef- 

 tions, into phlegms, into oils, into bitumens, and 

 united to the pulps of vegetables, which defcend 



from 



