ARTIFICES OF ANIMALS. 227 



existence and happiness alone, but likewise for the existence 

 and happiness of other animated beings. A circle of anima- 

 tion and of destruction goes perpetually round. This is the 

 economy of nature. Different species of animals live by the 

 mutual destruction of each other. Even among individual 

 men, the strong too often oppress the weak ; but on the other 

 hand, the wise instruct the ignorant. These are the bonds 

 of society, and the sources of improvement. 



CHAPTER X. 



OF THE ARTIFICES OF ANIMALS. 



MANY instances of the dexterity and artifices of different 

 animals, in various parts of their manners and economy, have 

 been occasionally mentioned in several of the foregoing chap- 

 ters. This circumstance, to avoid repetitions, will necessarily 

 render the present chapter proportionally short. The arti- 

 fices practised by animals proceed from several motives, many 

 of which are purely instinctive, and others are acquired by 

 experience and imitation. Upon this subject we shall, as 

 usual, give some examples, which may both amuse and inform 

 the reader. 



When a bear, or other rapacious animal, attacks cattle, 

 they instantly join and form a phalanx for mutual defence. 

 In the same circumstances, horses rank up in lines, and beat 

 off the enemy with their heels. Pontoppidan tells us, that 

 the small Norwegian horses, when attacked by bears, instead 

 of striking with their hind legs, rear, and, by quick and re- 

 peated strokes with their fore feet, either kill the enemy, or 

 oblige him to retire. This curious, and generally successful 

 defence, is frequently performed in the woods, while a traveller 

 is sitting on the horse's back. It has often been remarked, 

 that troops of wild horses, whether sleeping either in plains 

 or in the forest, have always one of their number awake, 

 who acts as a sentinel, and gives notice of any approaching 

 danger. 



Margraaf informs us, that the monkeys in Brazil, while 

 hey are sleeping on the trees, have uniformly a sentinel to 

 warn them of the approach of the tiger or other rapacious 



