STUDY Vî. 337 



•wonderful manner, to fuit the foil which they have 

 to tread, and the food by which they are to be fup- 

 ported. From the different configurations of thefe, 

 Naturalifts derive the charaders which diflinguidi 

 beafts of prey from fuch as live on vegetable fub- 

 ftanceSé 



Thefe organs have never been wanting to the 

 necefïities of animals, and are themfelves indelible 

 as their inftindls. I have feen, up in the country, 

 ducks brought up at a diftance from water, for 

 feveral generations, which, neverthelefs, retained 

 on their feet the broad membranes of their fpe- 

 cies, and which, on the approach of rain, clapped 

 their wings, fcreamed aloud, called upon the 

 clouds, and feemed to complain to Heaven of the 

 injuftice of Man, who had baniflied them from 

 their element. No animal wants any one necefTary 

 member, or is encumbered with one that is fuper- 

 fluous. Some philofophers have confidered the 

 fpurs appended to the heels of the hog as ufelefs, 

 becaufe they do not bear upon the ground ; but 

 this animal, dellined to live in fwampy places, 

 where he delights to wallow, and to make, with 

 his fnout, deep trenches in the mire, would fre- 

 quently (ink under the impulfe of gluttony, had 

 not Nature placed above his heels two prominent 

 excrefcences, which afTifl him in getting out again. 

 The ox, who frequents the marfliy banks of rivers, 



VOL. I. z is 



