214 ' HABITS OF BIRDS. 
CHAPTER XVII. 
ade LONGEVITY OF BIRDS. 
Ir is, as well remarked by Mr. Knapp, “ difficult, 
from many circumstances, to form an accurate state- 
ment of the natural duration of animal life, the wild 
creatures being, in great measure, removed from 
observation, and those in a condition of domestica- 
tion being seldom permitted to live as tong as their 
bodily strength would allow. It was formerly sup- 
posed that the length of animal life was in propor- 
tion to the space it remained in the parent, from 
conception to birth, and the length of time it re- 
quired to obtain maturity. This notion might have 
some support in reason and fact occasionally, but in 
many cases was incorrect ; and, in regard to birds, 
had no foundation. Herbivorous animals probably 
live longer than carnivorous ones, vegetable food 
being most easily obtainable in all seasons, in 2 
regular and requisite supply ; whereas animals that 
subsist on flesh, or by the capture of prey, are ne- 
cessitated at one period to pine without food, and at 
another gorged with superfluity : and, when the bod- 
ily powers of rapacious creatures become impaired, 
existence is difficult to support, and gradually cea- 
ses; but with herbivorous animals in the same eon- 
dition, supply is not equally precarious or wholly 
denied. Yet it is probable that few animals, in a 
perfectly wild state, live to a natural extinetion of 
life. In astate of domestication, the small number 
of carnivorous creatures about us are sheltered and 
fed with care, seldom are in want of proper food, 
and at times are permitted to await a gradual de- 
cay, continuing as long as nature permits, and by 
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