THE REASON WHY: 



" What is his creation less 

 Than a capacious reservoir of means 

 Form'd for his use, and ready at his will." COWPFR. 



for his h /enuity, he was permitted to ring every day for his dinner, when a 

 mass of broken victuals was purposely served out to him. 



To illustrate further the use of the imitative faculties under extremities, we 

 have only to adduce the simulation of death, practised by so many species, with 

 intent to weaken the instinctive vigilance of their foes or prey. The fax has been 

 known to personate a defunct carcase, when surprised in a hen-house ; and it has 

 even suffered itself to be carried out by the brush, and thrown upon a dung-heap, 

 whereupon it instantly rose and took to its heels, to the astounding dismay of its 

 human dupe. In like manner, this animal has submitted to be carried for more 

 than a mile, swung over the shoulder, with its head hanging ; till, at length, it 

 effected its release by suddenly biting. The same animal has been known, when 

 hunted to crouch exposed upon a rock of nearly its own colour, in the midst of a 

 river, and so to evade detection by its pursuers ; and we perpetually hear such cases 

 brought forward as decisive proofs of its extreme sagacity. 



625. How are the wisdom and goodness of Providence displayed 

 in the relation which subsists between the external organs of an 

 animal, by which it procures its food, and the internal organs by 

 which the food is digested ? 



This beautiful relation is observable in several species of the 

 animal creation. Birds of prey, by their talons and beaks, are 

 qualified to seize and devour many species, both- of birds and 

 quadrupeds. The construction of the stomach agrees exactly with 

 the form of the members. The gastric juice of a bird of prey, 

 an owl, a falcon, or a kite, act upon the animal fibre alone ; it will 

 not act upon seeds or grasses. . 



On the other hand, the conformation of the mouth of the sheep 

 or the ox is suited for browsing upon herbage. Nothing about these 

 animals is fitted for the pursuit of living prey. Accordingly it has 

 been found by experiments, tried with perforated balls, that the 

 gastric juice of ruminating animals speedily dissolves vegetables, 

 but makes no impression upon animal substances. 



626. How does the structure of the jaw and teeth of various 

 animals indicate the kinds of food upon which they subsist? 



The form of teeth may easily be understood to indicate whether 



