-^8'^ THE PHILOSOPHY 



reduced the numbers of voracious and noxious fpecles. He 

 oppofed the powers and the dexterity of one animal to thofe 

 of another. Some he fubdued by addrefs, and others by 

 force. In this manner he, in procefs of time, acc^uired to 

 himfelf perfedl fecurity, and eftabhfhed an empire that has 

 no other Hmits than inacceffible folitudes, burning fands, 

 frozen mountains, or obfcure caverns, which are occupied 

 as retreats by a few fpecies of ferocious animals. 



Next ta jnan, the carnivorous quadrupeds are the mofl: nu- 

 merous and the moil: deftrudlive. DijS'erent parts of the 

 earth are infefted with lions, tigers, panthers, ounces, leop- 

 ards, jaguars, cougars, lynxes, wild cats, dogs, jackals, wolves, 

 foxes, hyaenas, civets, genets, polecats, martins, ferrets, er- 

 mines, gluttons, bats, &c. Though all thefe, and many other 

 tribes of quadrupeds, live folely upon blood and carnage, 

 yet fome of them, a^ the tiger, the wolf, the hyaena, and 

 many other inferior fpecies, are much more rapacious and 

 deftructive than others. The lion, though furrounded with 

 prey, kills no more than he is able to confume. But the tiger 

 is grofsly ferocious, and cruel without necefiity. Though 

 fatiated with carnage, he perpetually thirfts for blood. His 

 reftlefs fury has no intervals, except, when he is obliged to 

 lie in ambufli for prey at the fides of lakes or rivers, to which 

 other animals refort for drink. He feizes and tears in pieces 

 a freih animal with equal rage as he exerted in devouring 

 the firf^. He defolates every country that he inhabits, and 

 dreads neither the afpefl nor the arms of man. He facrific- 

 es whole fiOcks of domeftic animals, and all the wild beafts 

 which come within the reach of his terrible claws. He at- 

 tacks the young of the elephant and rhinoceros, and fome- 

 tiraes even ventures to brave the lion. His predominant in- 

 ftin£l is a perpetual rage, a blind and undiftinguilhing fero- 

 city, which often impel him to devour his own young, and 

 to tear their mother in pieces when flie attempts to defend 



