50 BOOK OF NATURE LAID OPEN. 



The Lama of South America (the only original 

 beast of burden it produces,) is remarkably sure 

 footed, and climbs and descends with the greatest 

 safety the craggy rocks it has to encounter among 

 the rugged steeps and narrow paths of the Andes, 

 though encumbered with its load. 



Goats range the craggy steep, and delight to crop 

 the uncultivated heath from the mountain's brow ; 

 and behold how admirably their hollow hoofs are 

 formed for taking hold of the rock, and with what 

 surprising agility they bound from cliff to cliff! 



Animals of the Weasel kind, that live chiefly in 

 holes, and feed upon vermin, are not only furnished 

 with furs to preserve them from the damp, but have 

 long, slender, flexible bodies, well adapted for their 

 various windings. The Sea-horse of the Northern 

 Ocean, whose element is sometimes in the water, 

 and sometimes on the ice, is not only web-footed, 

 to assist in swimming, but has two monstrous tusks, 

 bending down from the upper jaw, which, together 

 with his claws, enable him to scramble up the icy 

 beach at pleasure. In short, the Mole is moulded 

 in the best possible manner for his subterraneous 

 habitation the Squirrel for his aerial flights the 

 Kangaroo for his tremendous leaps-^and the Bat, 

 which unites the Quadruped with the Volatile race, 

 is shaped in the most convenient manner for his 

 predatory excursions. 



But if this remarkable accommodation of the 

 parts and appetites of quadrupeds to their habits 

 and pursuits, is apt to excite our surprise, what must 



