50 PICTURE OF ORGANIZED NATURE. 



furnishing either insufficient, or, what is much worse, 

 incorrect explanations. 



The native country of the more perfect animals is 

 better known than that of many Genera of plants. 

 Yet most Naturalists have hitherto paid but little 

 regard to the altitude at which animals live above 

 the level of the sea. Zimmermann himself has left 

 this circumstance quite unattended to, in his excel- 

 lent work on the Spread of Animals over the Earth. 

 In his Map, accordingly, the Names of Mammalia 

 of every Country appear in warm climates, and at 

 the same latitude, without distinction j the inha- 

 bitants of the snow-line being confused with those of 

 the Torrid Zone. To the Financier, who calculates 

 only on what may be made of these animals for the 

 use of man, this may be convenient ; but the able 

 Naturalist, as well as the Man of Letters, must 

 startle when he sees creatures jumbled together which 

 nature has designed to be for ever asunder. This, 

 perhaps, is convenient for those who look only at 

 the utility which can be made of animals for the 

 human body. But the diligent Naturalist, as well 

 as the Poet, cannot but be struck with the inconsis- 

 tency of seeing such creatures associated as are eter- 

 nally separated by nature. Humboldt is the only 

 one who (in his Natural Picture of the Tropical 



