ANIMAL NUTRITION. OO 



birds, or fish; others feeding on reptiles or mol- 

 lusca, and some satisfying their appetite with in- 

 sects alone. The habits of the more diminutive 

 tribes are not less predatory and voracious than 

 those of the larger quadrupeds ; for the spiders on 

 the land, and the Crustacea in the sea, are but re- 

 presentatives of the lions and tigers of the forest, 

 displaying an equally ferocious and insatiable ra- 

 pacity. Other families, again, generally of still 

 smaller size, are designed for a parasitic existence ; 

 their organs being fitted only for imbibing the blood 

 or juices of other animals. 



No sooner is the signal given, on the death of 

 any large animal, than multitudes of every class 

 hasten to the spot, eager to partake of the repast 

 which nature has prepared. If the carcass be not 

 rapidly devoured by rapacious birds, or carnivo- 

 rous quadrupeds, it never fails to be soon attacked 

 by swarms of insects, which speedily consume its 

 softer textures, leaving only the bones. These, 

 again, are the favourite repast of the Hyaena, whose 

 powerful jaws are peculiarly formed for grinding 

 them into powder, and whose stomach can extract 

 from them an abundant portion of nutriment. No 

 less speedy is the work of demolition among the in- 

 habitants of the waters, where innumerable fishes, 

 Crustacea, annelida, and mollusca are on the watch 

 to devour all dead animal matter which may come 

 within their reach. The consumption of decayed 

 vegetables is not quite so speedily accomplished ; 

 yet these also afford an ample store of nourishment 

 to hosts of minuter beings, less conspicuous, per- 

 haps, but performing a no less important part in 

 the economy of the creation. It may be observed 



