SURVEYS OF NATURE, 



PART THE FIFTH. 



OVIPAROUS Quadrupeds may jufily claim a ftation after the 

 fuperior orders of viviparous quadrupeds, and birds : endowed 

 with lefs powers in certain refpeds, yet exhibiting much diverfified 

 Contrivance, adaptation, and manners. Many perfons have given 

 the general name of reptile to this whole divifion ; but that 

 feems more properly applied to ferpents, or fuch as ufe their belly 

 to affift their motion. 



This clafs of creatures have neither breads, nor hair; but are 

 clothed with a bony covering, hard or fharp fcales, and tubercles 

 more or lefs prominent, or with a naked fkin, bedewed with a 

 vifcous liquid. They have fhort legs ; and, inllead of fpreading 

 their feet when walking, they fold them. 



The moft confiderable are natives of the torrid zone; yet their 

 blood is lefs endued with heat, than that of moft other animals : they 

 have alfo a lefs quantity of blood; it circulates flowly, ^nd but little 

 depends on the lungs. Many of them have no ribs ; many have only 

 four 'uw'tebra in the neck, confequentiy little motion. Their heart 

 has only one ventricle ; their breathing is with inter\"als, and irregular, 

 often fufpended for a long time ; they are fond of warmth and of 

 humidity ; and though inhabitants of various foils, rocky and dry, or 

 fandy, or of the woods, yet all are amphibious; but cannot continue 

 altogether deprived of air, or remain long under water, like fifties. la 

 general furvive confiderable wounds, and even feparation of fome 

 members, which, in certain cafes, are reproduced. Thev are alfo 

 extremely patient of hunger, and fome live months without food: 

 Their particles tranfpire but flowly, and confequentiy require only 

 flow renovation. They never fweat. The major part of them are 



A a 2 torpid. 



