180 MAN NATURALLY OMNIVOROUS. 



with tlie long-continued operation of a vertical sun, wliose 

 direct rays dry up all succulent vegetables and all fluids, 

 are the principal and insurmountable obstacles. The de- 

 ficient supply of flesh is most abundantly compensated 

 by numerous and valuable vegetable presents; by the cocoa- 

 nut, the plantain, the banana, the sago-tree; by the potatoe, 

 yam, cassava, aqd other roots ; by maize, rice, and millet ; 

 and by an infinite diversity of cooling and refreshing fruits. 

 By these precious gifts, Nature has pointed out to the na- 

 tives of hot climates the most suitable kind of nourishment : 

 here, accordingly, a vegetable diet is found most grateful and 

 salubrious, and animal food much less wholesome. 



In the temperate regions of the globe all kinds of animal 

 food can be easily procured, and nearly all descriptions of 

 grain, roots, fruit, and other vegetable matters ; and, when 

 taken in moderation, all afford wholesome nourishment. 

 Here, therefore, man appears in his omnivorous character. 

 As we pass from these middle climes towards the poles, 

 animal matters are more and more exclusively taken; towards 

 the equator, cooling fruits and other produce of the earth 

 constitute a greater and greater share of human diet. 



The diversity of substances composing the catalogue of 

 human aliments *, offers a strong contrast to the simple 



* To this long li^^t, which, already comprehendino; most of the substances 

 in the two organic kingdoms of Nature, so fully justifies us in deno- 

 minating man an omnivorous animal, we have to add, on the autho- 

 rity of recent trials in Germany, the wood of various trees. The ligneous 

 fibres of the beech, birch, lime, poplar, elms, fir, and probably others, 

 when dried, ground, and sifted, so as to form an impalpable powder like 

 coarse flour, are not only capable of affording wholesome nourishment to 

 man or animals, but even, with some admixtures, and some culinary skilly 

 constitute very palatable articles of food. If cold water be poured on some 

 wood flour, inclosed in a fine linen bag, it becomes milky, and considerable 

 pressing or kneading is required to wash out from the flour all the starch- 

 like matter it contains. Like starch, this matter slowly subsides in cold 

 water ; and it forms, when boiled with water, a thick tenacious paste, which 

 will firmly agglutinate the leaves of pasteboard. 



The following publications have appeared on the subject: viz. Ober- 

 LECUNER, Jisfabricandi Fnimentimi verwn ; Salzburg, 1805. Wic kann 

 man sic/i bey grouser Thcutiung und Ilungcrsnoth ohne Gctreid gcsunds& 



