370 STITDIES OF NATURE. 



inflamed, urinous or fetid fmells. The crocodile, 

 in ambufli among the flags, upon the fliores of 

 the rivers in Afia, where he afllimes the appearance 

 of the trunk of a tree turned upfide down, be- 

 trays himfelf from afar, by flrong exhalations of 

 the fmell of mufk. The rattle-fnake, concealed 

 in the grafly fwamps of America, cannot fl:ir with- 

 out founding his ominous alarm. The very in- 

 fefts which make war on others, are clad in fable 

 attire, in which colours are harfhly oppofed, and 

 in which black, particularly, predominates, and 

 clafties difagreeably with white, or yellow. The 

 humble-bee, independantly of his buzzing noife, 

 announces himfelf by the blacknefs of his breafl- 

 plate, and his large belly briftled over with yellow 

 hairs. He appears amidft the flowers, like a burn- 

 ing coal half extinguifhed. The carnivorous wafp 

 is yellow, and fl:riped with black, like the tiger. 

 But the ufeful bee is of the complexion of the 

 JIamina and of the calices of the flowers, among 

 which flie reaps her innocent harvefts. 



Poifonous plants prefent, like noxious animals, 

 difgufting contrafl:s, from the livid colours of their 

 flowers, in which black, deep blue, and a fmoky 

 violet, are in harlh oppofition with the tender 

 fliades; from their naufeoiis and virulent fmells; 

 from their prickly foliage, of a black green hue, 

 and clafliing widi white on the under-fide : fuch 



are 



