104. THE BEAUTIES OF NATURE cmap. 
that in the perfect state its life should be so 
short. It is, however, so defenceless, and, 
moreover, so much appreciated by birds and 
fish, that unless they laid their eggs very 
rapidly none would perhaps survive to con- 
tinue the species. 
Many of these estimates are, as will be 
seen, very vague and doubtful, so that we 
must still admit with Bacon that, “ touching 
the length and shortness of life in living 
creatures, the information which may be had 
is but slender, observation is negligent, and 
tradition fabulous. In tame creatures their 
degenerate life corrupteth them, in wild creat- 
ures their exposing to all weathers often in- 
tercepteth them.” 
ON INDIVIDUALITY 
When we descend still lower in the animal 
scale, the consideration of this question opens 
out a very curious and interesting subject 
connected with animal individuality. As 
regards the animals with which we are most 
