ZOOLOGY. 141 



wisdom with which all things are formed, and by which is 

 dispensed unto every living thing its allotted portion of good, 

 we should not arraign that power for permitting the exist- 

 ence of what we may consider as evils, or at best as useless 

 Animals, without our being able to comprehend the pur- 

 poses for which all things are made. 



The Amphibese are divided in two natural families or 

 orders ; in the first of which are placed those Animals that 

 possess feet or fins ; and the second contains those destitute 

 of feet. The whole class are cold blooded ; their bones car- 

 tilaginous ; in some, the respirative organs are large, but in 

 all are imperfectly defined ; their respiration is slow, as is 

 also their powers of digestion, and the circulation of the vital 

 fluid ; most of them are very tenacious of life, some possess 

 the power of reproducing parts that have been destroyed 

 or mutilated ; many species are amphibious, others 

 entirely aquatic, surviving bat a very short time on being; 

 removed out of water ; whilst many other kinds cannot sur- 

 Tive in it. A considerable proportion of those inhabiting the 

 colder parts of Europe, Asia, and America, become torpid 

 during winter. 



ORDER I. 



Reptilia. reptiles. 



Of the Animals in this Order, a considerable number are 

 entirely aquatic, only approaching land for the purpose of 

 depositing their eggs; these are confined to the first genus. 

 the whole of which consists of Animals covered with a hard- 



