212 Animals 



mies, have long, slender, hut muscular 

 legs. Those formed for a life of rapa- 

 city have their feet armed with sharp 

 claws, which in some species are retrac- 

 tile, as those of the Cat ; and, on the 

 contrary, peaceful animals are generally 

 furnished with hoofs, which often serve 

 sis weapons of defence ; and the feet of 

 those which subsist on fish, have mem- 

 branes betwen the toes, the better to 

 enable them to pursue their prey in the 

 watery element. 



The larger species of Quadrupeds are, 

 in general, the most harmless and inof- 

 fensive ; and, as if sensible of their own 

 innocence, they possess the most courage ; 

 while the more rapacious animals are in- 

 ferior to those in size, and also in cour- 

 age ; and, except the Dog, there is no 

 carnivorous quadruped, that will volun- 

 tarily attack another animal, when the 

 odds is against him. Thus nature has 

 furnished the most inoffensive animals 

 with superior size and strength ; and op- 

 posed to them the carnivorous kinds, 

 which possess more cunning and agility, 

 whereby an equilibrium is preseved be- 

 t v/een the numbers of the different kinds. 



