ANIMALS. -^y.i 



to carry no superfluous burden of flesh about it ; tlie hinder 

 I'eet are longer than the fore, which still adds to the rapidity of 

 its motions ; and almost all animals that are remarkable for their 

 speed, except the horse, are formed in the same manner. 



An animal so well formed for a life of esca})e, might l)e sup- 

 posed to enjoy a state of tolerable security ; but as every rapa- 

 cious creature is its enemy, it but very seldom lives out its na- 

 tural term. Dogs of all kinds pursue it by instinct, and follow 

 the hare more eagerly than any other animal. The cat and the 

 weasel kinds are continually lying in ambush, and practising all 

 their little arts to seize it ; birds of prey are still more dangerous 

 enemies, as against them no swiftness can avail, nor retreat se- 

 cure ; but man, an enemy far more powerful than all, prefers its 

 flesh to that of other animals, and destroys gi-eater numbers 

 than all the rest. Thus pursued and persecuted on every side, 

 the race would long since have been totally extirpated, did it not 

 find a resource in its amazing fertility. 



The hare multiplies exceedingly ; it is in a state of engender- 

 ing at a few months old ; the female goes with young but thirty 

 days, and generally brings forth three or four at a time.' As soon 

 as they have ])roduced their young, they are again ready for con- 

 ception, and thus do not lose any time in continuing the breed. 

 But they are in another respect fitted in an extraordinary man- 

 ner for multiplying their kind ; for the female, from the confor- 

 mation of her womb, is often se?u to bring forth, and yet to 

 continue pregnant at the same time; or, in other words, to have 

 young ones of diffeient ages in her womb together. Other 

 animals never receive the male when pregnant, but bring forth 

 their young at once. But it is frequently difl^erent with the 

 hare; the female often, though already impregnated, admitting 

 the male, and thus receiving a second impregnation. The rea- 

 son of this extraordinary circumstance is, that the womb in these 

 animals is divided in such a manner that it may be considered as 

 ii double organ, one side of which may be filled while the othei; 

 remains empty. Thus these animals may be seen to couple at 

 every period of their pregnancy, and even while they are bring- 

 ing forth young, laying the foundation of another brood. 



The young of these animals are brought forth with their eyes 



1 llufioii, vol. xili. ]). la. 



2 V. :i 



