b 2 ‘ Objervations on Animal Fut, 
tiffue, but are not found equally difperfed throughout every 
part of the body. Fat is found in a pretty confiderable 
quantity in certain cavities of the body, asm the orbits of 
the eyes, near the reins, in the epiploon, fometimes at the 
poimt of the heart, &c. In man there is none about the 
fungs, the penis, or the brain. Sore is contained m the 
Jaft-mentioned organ in the cold-blooded animals: in the 
fea-dog, the ray, and many other fithes, the fat 1s mixed 
with the parenchyme of the'-liver, to which it gives con£- 
derable bulk: in birds and animals that feed on vegetable 
fubftances, it is found around the reins, The fat of fifhes is 
mere hquid than,that of carnivorous quadrupeds: that of 
frugivorous animals has more confiftence than the fat of 
others, 
The quantity of fat varics much according to the differ- 
ent claffes of animals; and, if we compare the quantity of 
fat with the bulk of the body, it will be found that fithes 
exhibit the largeft proportion; then amphibious animals, 
and then the fregivorous. The carnivorous prefent the leaft, 
But thefe aye only general obfervations, which are fubject to 
mrany exceptions. 
All the ufes of fat are not yct known ; but we know that 
in fome cafes it becomes exhaufted, and fupplies the place 
ofaliment. Thus, animals which remain in a {tate of tor- 
por for feveral months without taking nourifhment, lofe their 
plump appearance ; from which it would feem that this isa 
refource provided for them by nature. May it not perhaps 
ferve to preferve animal heat? The circumftances which 
contribute to its formation are ftill more obfeure, and have 
given rife to many ingenious ideas dignified with the name 
of hypothefes. One of the moft probable is that of Dr. 
Beddoes*, which appears to me to clear up many facts 
* Dr. Coindet has done little more than abridge from Dy. Beddocs’s 
OBfervations o2 Caleules, &e. though he preftxes his own name to this 
paper, and thus cafually introduces the name of the latter, as if his write - 
ings only tended to confirm, when, in feét, ther are the foundation of the 
Gpatiines here brought forward. Epir. 
hitherto 
