' HISTORY OF VERMONT. 125 



hundred and forty one to two hundred and for- 

 tj nine is the same as seventy fne to one hun- 

 dred and thirty two. And so many species 

 should be found, in the other parts of the globe, 

 to preserve an equality : But this is thirty tv.o 

 more, than nature has produced. In respect 

 then to the different species of quadrupeds, if 

 we are to judge by any enumeration which has 

 yet been made, the greatest force and vigour of 

 nature is found in America.* 



Magnitude. The magnitude which any 

 animal will attain, seems to depend much upon 

 its original constitution, the climate, and proper 

 nourishm.ent. In tlie original constitution of 

 each animal, the Creator seems to have estab- 

 lished certain laws, respecting its form, genera- 

 tion, expansion, and support. The proper mag- 

 nitude of the animal, is therefore assigned by 

 nature, to each species : In this way, the ori- 

 ginal limits are fixed ; above, or below^ which, 

 no individual of that species shall rise, or fall. 

 Within these limits, those variations may take 

 place, which we mean to express, w^hen we call 

 the animal great, or small. But no circum- 

 stance will reverse the la'ws of nature, enable 

 the different species of animals to exchange 

 tlieir proper form, and magnitude ; to debase 

 the ox into a mole, or to exalt the mole to the 

 size of the ox. Nature has also fitted each 

 quadruped for the climate, in which it was ori- 

 ginally placed ; and in that climate only, will it 



* THE enumeration of quadrupeds seems to be*too imperfert to 

 afford any accurate calculations of this kind. According to M. BufTon's 

 latest conclusions, in his Epoques de la Nature, there are three hundred 

 specie* of quadrupeds. America according tsthe\^8t)e Clavigerp, ce?>- 

 tains about one half of these. 



