246 PHILOSOPHY OF ZOOLOGY. 



web to entangle the fly : The ant-lion digs a pit-fall : The 

 heron remains motionless at the margin of the pool, until 

 the unwary fishes come within the reach of his long neck 

 and bill : The cat kind take their prey by surprise ; while 

 the wolf trusts entirely to swiftness and strength. The 

 manner of beginning the feast, even after the supply has 

 been secured, is very different according to the species. 



In a domesticated state, animals seem to lose the useful 

 properties of this appetite, which are so essential to their 

 existence in a wild state. Thus, cows which .have been 

 kept within doors during the winter, and supported chiefly 

 on dry food, when turned out to pasture in the spring, de- 

 vour, indiscriminately, every green herb, and frequently 

 suffer for their indiscretion. LINNAEUS tells, that when he 

 visited Tornea, the inhabitants complained of a distemper 

 which killed multitudes of their cattle, especially during 

 spring, when first turned out into a meadow in the neigh- 

 bourhood. He soon traced the disorder to the water hem- 

 lock which grew plentifully in the place, and which the 

 cattle, in the spring, did not know how to avoid *. We 

 have been informed, that in Orkney many goslins die 

 when first turned out into the hills, to pasture, in conse- 

 quence of eating the leaves of fox-glove. In a wild state, 

 however, this appetite directs animals with great certainty to 

 the suitable objects of nourishment, and does not permit 

 them to taste of those things which would injure or de- 

 stroy. 



By the force of habit, this instinct may be so modified, 

 as that what was disagreeable at first, shall even become an 

 object of desire. By this capability of changing taste, vari- 

 ous animals can accommodate themselves to new situations, 



* Lachcsi* Lapponka. ii. p. 136. 



