RUMINANT QUADRUPEDS. 443 



employments of their lives, and satisfy the chief 

 conditions of their existence. To these purposes 

 the whole conformation of their skeleton, and 

 especially of those parts which constitute the limbs, 

 is adapted. The anterior extremities having only 

 to support the weight of the fore part of the trunk, 

 and to assist in progressive motion, have a less 

 complicated arrangement of joints, and exhibit 

 many of those consolidations of the bones, which 

 tend to simplify the structure, and contribute to its 

 strength. 



But though never incited by the calls of appetite 

 to engage in sanguinary warfare, they are yet liable 

 to the assaults of many ferocious and well armed 

 adversaries, and are often unprovided with any 

 adequate means of defence ; their only resource, 

 therefore, is to avoid the dangers of the encounter 

 by a rapid and precipitate flight. To confer this 

 power appears to have been the object aimed at by 

 nature in every part of the conformation of these 

 animals. It is among the ruminant tribes that the 

 fleetest of quadrupeds are to be found, such as the 

 Gazelle, the Antelope, and the Deer, animals which 

 exhibit the highest perfection of structure belonging 

 to this type. We may observe that the parts com- 

 posing the hind legs are longer, and inclined to one 

 another at angles more acute in these animals than 

 in other tribes of mammalia, so that they are always 

 ready for instantly commencing their flight, and 

 springing forwards on the slightest notice of danger. 

 (See Fig. 218, page 449.) 



As it was necessary, from the situation of their 

 food, that their heads should reach the ground in 

 grazing, we find that the neck has been much 



