30 STUDIES OF NATURE. 



** dog fprung upon him, and difpatched him." I 

 can hardly think this dog could be of the fame 

 race with our lap-dogs. 



The animals formidable to Man are more to be 

 feared from their fmallnefs than from their mag- 

 nitude ; there is no one, however, but what may 

 be rendered fubfervient to his benefit. Serpents, 

 centipeds, fcorpions; toads, inhabit fcarcely any 

 other than humid and unwholefome places, from 

 which they keep us at a diftance, more by their 

 hideous figures than by their poifons. Such fer- 

 pents as are really dangerous, give fignals of their 

 approach ; fuch are the rattles of the fnake which 

 bears that name. Few perfons periQi by their 

 fting, and only from their own careleflnefs and 

 imprudence. Befides, our pigs and poultry eat 

 them currently, without fuffering the flighteft in- 

 convenience. Ducks, in particular, devour them 

 with avidity, as they likewife do moft poifonous 

 plants. Thofe of the kingdom of Pontus acquired 

 fo much virtue by aliments of fuch forts, which 

 are common there, that Mithridates employed 

 their blood in his famous counter- poifons. 



There are, it is admitted, noxious infefts which 

 prey upon our fruits, our corn, nay, our perfons. 

 But if fnails, may-bugs, caterpillars, and locufts, 

 ravage our plains, it is becaufe we deftroy the 



birds 



