52 PHILOSOPHY OF ZOOLOGY. 



ces the species of the Animal Kingdom in a similar manner. 

 But animals are not only dependent on the physical char- 

 acter of their station) hut on the presence of those vegeta- 

 bles on which they subsist, whether directly or indirectly. 

 In the existing arrangements, animals are distributed, with 

 regard to plants, in such a manner, as that a supply of food 

 may be readily obtained ; limited, however, so as to prevent 

 the excessive increase of any particular species. In their 

 turn, animals influence the growth of plants, by keeping 

 many species within due bounds, and by assisting the dis- 

 semination and nourishment of others. But amidst this 

 variety of actionand reaction, and jof temporary derangement, 

 circumstances always arise, by which irregularities are check- 

 ed, losses compensated, and the balance of life preserved. 



LINN.EUS, from the contemplation of this subject, con- 

 cluded, contrary to the generally received opinion, that~ani- 

 mals were created on account of plants, not plants on ac- 

 count of animals. The defence of this opinion rests on the 

 consideration, of animals having organs suited to cut and 

 bruise vegetables as food, and by these operations, some- 

 times contributing to preserve an equal proportion among 

 the species ; and on the following reasoning, that the iron 

 was not made for the hammer, but the hammer for the 

 iron, the ground not for the plough, but the plough for 

 the ground,^-the meadow not for the scythe, but the 

 scythe for the meadow *. The exclusive consideration of 

 the indirect consequences of the actions of animals, has ob- 

 viously betrayed LINNAEUS into this opinion. That it is 

 erroneous, may be easily demonstrated, by the employment 

 of his own method of reasoning. Plants, we know, are 

 furnished with roots to penetrate the soil for nourishment and 

 support; and fishes have fins adapted for swimming. Now, 

 if the soil was not made for plants, but plants for the soil ; 



* " Amoenitates Academics," vol. vi. p. 22. 



