BIRDS AND FISHES. 216 



it may be said, lays no more. But it should be considered, that 

 the pigeon produces two eggs, three, four, or five times, from 

 spring to autumn. All birds of prey exhibit an obduracy 

 and a ferociousness of disposition, while the other kinds are 

 mild, cheerful, and gentle, in their aspect and manners. 

 Most birds of prey expel their offspring from the nest, and 

 relinquish them to their fate, before they are sufficiently able 

 to provide for themselves. This cruelty is the effect of per- 

 sonal want in the mother. When prey is scanty, which often 

 happens, she in a manner starves herself to support her 

 young. But, when her hunger becomes excessive, she forgets 

 her parental affection, strikes, expels, and sometimes, in a 

 paroxysm of fury produced by want, kills her offspring. An 

 aversion to society is another effect of this natural and acquir- 

 ed obduracy of temper. Birds of prey, as well as carnivorous 

 quadrupeds, never associate. Like robbers, they lead a soli- 

 tary and wandering life. Mutual attachment unites the male 

 and female ; and, as they are both capable of providing for 

 themselves, and can give mutual assistance in making war 

 against other animals, they never separate, even after the 

 season of love. The same pair are uniformly found in the 

 same place ; but they never assemble in flocks, nor even 

 associate in families. The larger kinds, as the eagles, require 

 a greater quantity of food, and, for that reason, never allow 

 their own offspring, after they have become rivals, to ap- 

 praach the places where they frequent. But all those birds, 

 and all those quadrupeds, which are nourished by the pro- 

 ductions of the earth, live in families, are -fond of society, and 

 assemble in numerous flocks, without quarrelling or disturb- 

 ing one another. 



Both the earth and the air furnish examples of rapacious 

 animals. In these elements, however, the number of carniv- 

 orous animals is comparatively small. But every inhabitant 

 of the waters depends for its existence upon rapine and 

 destruction. The life of every fish, from the smallest to the 

 i greatest, is one continued scene of hostility, violence, and 

 i evasion. Their appetite for food is almost insatiable. It 

 impels them to encounter every danger. They are in con- 

 tinual motion ; and the object of all their movements is to 

 devour other fishes, or to avoid their own destruction. Their 

 desire for food is so keen and undistinguishing, that they 

 greedily swallow every thing which has the appearance of 

 animation. Those that have small mouths, feed upon worms 

 and the spawn of other fishes ; and those whose mouths are 



