SECT. XVI. 4. OF INSTINCT. 151 



and all the mufcles of the body are excited into 

 action to relieve this oppreflion ; thofe of the bread, 

 ribs, and diaphragm are found to anfwer this pur- 

 pofe, and thus refpiration is difcovered, and is 

 continued throughout our lives, as often as the 

 oppreflion begins to recur. Many infants, both 

 of the human creature, and of quadrupeds, ftrug- 

 gle for a minute after they are born before they 

 begin to breathe, (Haller Phyf. T. 8. p. 400. ib. 

 pt. 2. p. i). Mr. Buffon thinks the action of the 

 dry air upon the nerves of fmell of new-born ani- 

 mals, by producing an endeavour to fneeze, may 

 contribute to induce this firft infpiration, and that 

 the rarefaction of the air by the warmth of the 

 lungs contributes to induce expiration, (Hid. Nat. 

 Tom. 4. p. 174). Which latter it may effect by 

 producing a difagreeable ienfation by its delay, and 

 a confequent effort to relieve it. Many children 

 fneeze before they refpire, but not all, as far as I 

 have obferved, or can learn from others.. 



At length, by the direction of its fenfe of fmell, 

 or by the officious care of its mother, the young 

 animal approaches the odoriferous rill of its future 

 nourifhment, already experienced to fwallow. But 

 in the act of fwallowing, it is neceflary nearly to 

 clofe the mouth, whether the creature be immerfed 

 in the fluid it is about to drink, or not : hence, 

 when the child firft attempts to luck, it does not 

 ilightly comprefs the nipple between its lips, and 

 fuck as an adult perfon would do, by abforbing the 

 milk ; but it takes the whole nipple into its mouth 

 for this purpoie, compreffes it between its gums, 

 and thus repeatedly chewing (as it were) the nip- 

 ple, prefTes out the milk ; exactly in the fame manner 

 as it is drawn from the teats of cows by the hands 



of 



