209 



port. She lias thought proper to oblige them to pro- 

 cure it for themselves, often with much labour. And 

 the different methods by which she has instructed each 

 species to obtain this end, much diversify tiie scene of 

 our world. 



Whilst the ploughman opens the earth, to entrust with 

 it the seeds necessary to support him, the ntole and the 

 mole cricket, are cleaving for themselves different routs, 

 in the same, to search for the food allotted to them. 

 The huntsman pursues his prey with an obstinate reso- 

 lution : triumphing in his swiftness and strength. At 

 other times preferring craft he becomes master of it by 

 laying snares for it. The tyger rushes on the fawn 

 sporting in the meadow. The cat watches motionless 

 and silent, till the young mouse issues forth from its re- 

 treat, that she may dart upon it in a moment. Some 

 species of animals, resembling mankind by their pru- 

 dence, lay up provisions against a time of scarcity ; 

 build themselves magazines, in which are observed such 

 just proportions, as to give us cause to doubt whether 

 it was the workmanship of a brute, were we not con- 

 vinced that this brute itself is the work of SOVEREIGN 

 REASON. 



25. How great is the distance in this respect from the 

 beaver and bee, to the gall or cochineal insect, the 

 oyster, the sea nettle, and several other kinds of insects 

 and shell-fish? The gall insect,* being confounded, by 

 liis immobility and form, with the tree on which he 

 Jives, contents himself with extracting its juice. Carried 

 by the wave to the sea-shore, the oyster remains fixed 

 there, and all its motions consist in opening and closing 

 its shell. The sea-nettle, and all the different polypuses 

 with pipes, being continually fixed to the same place, 

 open and shut like a flower ; extend and contract them- 

 selves like a sensitive plant; stretch out arms, by means 

 of which they seize insects. This is their principal 



* See chap, viii. 



