4'64 HISTO.IY 111- 



tliroiigli a farmer's yard. But, if at this period the mildest aui 

 mals acquire new fierceness, how formidable must those be that 

 subsist by rapine ! At such times, no obstacles can stop their 

 ravage, nor no threats can terrify ; the lioness then seems more 

 hardy than even the lion himself. She attacks men and beasts 

 indiscriminately, and carries all she can overcome reeking to her 

 cubs, whom she thus early accustoms to slaughter. Milk, in the 

 carnivorous animals, is much more sparing than in others ; and 

 it may be for this reason that all such carry home their prey 

 alive, that, in feeding their young, its blood may supply the de- 

 ficiencies of nature, and serve instead of that milk with which 

 they are so sparingly supplied. 



Nature, that has thus given them courage to defend their 

 young, has given them instinct to choose the proper times of co- 

 pulation, so as to bring forth when the provision suited to each 

 kind is to be found in the greatest plenty. The wolf, for in- 

 stance, couples in November, so that the time of pregnancy 

 continuing five months, it may have its young in April. The 

 mare, who goes eleven months, admits the horse in summer, in 

 order to foal about the beginning of May. On the contrary, 

 those animals which lay up provisions for the winter, such as 

 the beaver and the marmotte, couple in the latter end of auttimn, 

 so as to have their young about January, against which season 

 they have provided a very comfortable store. These seasons 

 for coupling, however, among some of the domestic kinds, are 

 generally in consequence of the quantity of provisions with 

 which they are at any time supplied. Thus we may, by feed- 

 ing any of these anin^als, and keeping off the rigour of the cli- 

 mate, make them breed whenever we please. In this manner 

 those contrive who produce lambs all the year round. 



The choice of situation in bringing forth is also very remark- 

 able. In most of the rapacious kinds, the female takes the ut- 

 most precautions to hide the place of her retreat from the male ; 

 who otherwise, when pressed by hunger, would be apt to devour 

 her cubs. She seldom, therefore, strays far from the den, and 

 never approaches it while he is in view, nor visits him again till 

 her young are capable of providing for themselves. Such ani- 

 mals as are of tender constitutions take the utmost care to pro- 

 vide a place of warmth, as well as safety, for their young ; the 

 Taj)uciovis kinds bring forth in the thickest woods ; those that 



