36 ON THE STUDY OV ZOOLOGY 



innocent and rational, and tlierelbre suited to all ages, pre- 

 sents other and higher claims to our attention. The mul- 

 tiplied relations which animals bear to our own species, 

 supplying our most urgent wants, aiding our greatest un- 

 dertakings, and giving full eifect to our faculties and exer- 

 tions—and the important part they fill in the creation, 

 animating and enlivening every scene, and often cijanglng 

 the very face of nature — can hardly escape the notice of 

 the most unreflecting; and can only be neglected by those 

 who are contented to remain ignorant of the most striking 

 phenomena around them. I do not speak at present of the 

 important bearings which zoology has on the science of 

 human organization and life, and consequently on the art 

 of healing ; but consider it merely as a branch of general 

 knowledge. 



What a multitude of quadrupeds, birds, and fishes afford 

 occupation, either directly or indirectly, to the many savage 

 tribes, who live almost entirely on the produce of the chase 

 or the fishery, or to the sportsman, who seeks in these 

 pursuits merely a healthy recreation ! What an interest is 

 felt in observing and investigating the habits of these vari- 

 ous beings ; in comparing and contrasting their diversified 

 endowments ; in watching the force and activity of some ; 

 the address, the stratagems, and the cunning of others ; the 

 wonderful instincts of all ; and the curious relation between 

 their habits and the respective situations they occupy ! 



Wlmt a number of the inhabitants of the earth, air, and 

 waters, are sacrificed to furnish us with food ! while from 

 the same source we derive a still larger portion of our 

 clothing. The number of living creatures, whether beasts, 

 birds, and fishes, or even reptiles, worms, and insects, con- 

 sumed for food in the various regions of the earth, is pro- 

 digious. None, even the most disgusting, as locusts, 

 beetles, maggots, spiders, entirely escape. When we add to 

 these what are destroyed to supply us with clothing, par- 

 ticularly with wool, silk, leather, fur, feathers ; with the 

 means of procuring light, as oil, spermaceti, wax, tallow ; 

 with various articles of medicine, as hartshorn, musk, 



