HISTORY OF ANIMALS. 



213 



others by taking refiijre in a hard resisting shell. But vege- 

 tables are totally unprotected ; they are exposed to every assail- 

 ant, and patiently submissive in every attack, iii a word, an 

 animal is an organized being, that is, in some measure, provided 

 for its own seciu-ity ; a vegetable is destitute of every protec- 

 tion. 



But though it is very easy, without the help of definitions, to 

 distinguish a plant from an animal, yet both possess many pro 

 perties so much alike, that the two kingdoms, as they are called, 

 seem mixed with each other. Hence, it frequently puzzles the 

 naturalist to tell exactly where animal life begins, and vegeta- 

 tive terminates ; nor indeed is it easy to resolve, whether some 

 objects offered to view be of the lowest of the animal, or the 

 highest of the vegetable races- The sensitive plant, that moves 

 at the touch, seems to have as much perception as the fresh- 

 ^'ater polj'pus, that is possessed of a still slower share of motion. 

 Besides, the sensitive plant will not re-produce upon cutting in 

 pieces, which the polj-pus is known to do ; so that the vegetable 

 production seems to have the superiority. But, notwithstanding 

 this, the polypus hunts for its food, as most other animals do. 

 It changes its situation ; and therefore possesses a power of 

 choosing its food, or retreating from danger. Still, therefore, 

 the animal kingdom is far removed above the vegetable ; and its 

 lowest denizen is possessed of very great privileges, when com- 

 pared with the plants with which it is often surrounded. 



However, both classes have many resemblances, by which 

 they are raised above the unorganized and inert masses of nature. 

 Minerals are mere inactive, insensible bodies, entirely motion- 

 less of themselves, and waiting some external force to alter their 

 forms or their properties. But it is otherwise with animals and 

 ^'egetables ; these are endued with life and vigour ; they have 

 their state of improvement and decay ; they are capable of re- 

 producing their kinds ; they grow from seeds in some, and from 

 cuttings in others ; they seem all possessed of sensation, in a 

 gi'eater or less degree ; they both have their enmities and affec- 

 tions ; and as some animals are, by nature, impelled to violence, 

 so some plants are found to exterminate all others, and make a 

 wilderness of the places round them. As the lion makes a de- 

 sert of the forest where it resides, thus no other plant will grow 

 under the shade of the manchineel-tree. Thus, also, that plant. 



