4oi HISTORY Of 



to prepare and turn tbeir coarse food into proper nourishment. 

 In Africa, where the plants afford greater nourishment than in 

 our temperate chmates, several aniaials, that with us have four 

 stomachs, have there but two.' However, in all animals the 

 size of the intestines is proportioned to the nature of the food : 

 where that is furnished in large quantities the stomach dilates to 

 answer the increase. In domestic animals, that are plentifully 

 supplied, it is large; in the wild animals, that live precariously, 

 It is much more contracted, and the intestines are much shorter. 



In this manner, all animals are fitted by nature to till up 

 some peculiar station. The greatest animals are made for an 

 inoffensive life, to range the plains and the forest without injur- 

 ing others ; to live upon the productions of the earth, the grass 

 of the field, or the tender branches of trees. These, secure in 

 their own strength, neither fly from any other quadrupeds, nor 

 yet attacK tnem : Nature to the greatest strength has added the 

 most gentle and harmless dispositions : without this those enor- 

 mous creatures would be more than a match for all the rest of 

 the creation •, for what devastation might not ensue, were the ele- 

 phant, or the rhinoceros, or the buffalo, as fierce and as mischie- 

 vous as the tiger or the rat ? In order to oppose these larger ani- 

 mals and in some measure to prevent their exuberance, there is a 

 species of the carnivorous kind, of inferior strength indeed, but 

 of greater activity and cunning. The lion and the tiger generully 

 watch for the larger kinds of i)rcy, attack them at some disad- 

 vantage, and commonly jump upon them by surprise. None of 

 the carnivorous kinds, except the dog alone, will make a volun- 

 tary attack, but with the odds on their side. They are all 

 cowards by nature, and usually catch their prey by a bound from 

 some lurking-place, seldom attempting to invade them openly ; 

 for the larger beasts are too powerful for them, and the smaller 

 too swift. 



A lion does not willingly attack a horse, and then only when 

 compelled by the keenest hunger. The combats between a 

 lion and a horse are frequent enough in Italy ; where they are 

 both enclosed in a kind of amphitheatre, fitted for that purpose. 

 The lion always approaches wheeling about, while the horse pre- 

 sents his hinder parts to the enemy. The lion in this manner 



1 Buffon. 



