8 CONCHQLQGY. 



fays he, that of all the writers on this 

 fubjefl, not one has confidered the Anir 

 mals that inhabit the (Iiells, or given 

 figures, of them. He owns, however, that 

 i-nany are feldom feen by us, and that 

 the refearches on their manner of life 

 are extremely difficult. The great dif- 

 ficulty of thefe refearches fhould have 

 been his anfvver : and it muft always re- 

 main fo ; for of the great number of fpe- 

 cies difcovered fince his time, (an asra 

 in which natural hiftory has flouriflied 

 more than at any other period) we fcarcely 

 know the inhabitant Animals of fome 

 fcores ; and even thofc are very few of 

 diftant regions, but chiefly of the coafts 

 of Europe, countries in which affiduous 

 and expert naturalifls have refided. 



The mofl eafy and obviqus charafters 

 are certainly the bed on which to found 

 all fyflems of natural hiflory. I have 

 treated this point fully in my ledures on 

 foflils. Scientifical refearches in regard 



to 



