104 THE BEAUTIES OF NATURE CHAP. 



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 



