ON SPECIES, HYBRIDS, AND VARIETIES. 177 



their appetite for blood, however, gradually awakens and, now, the mother 

 brings home the reeking prey, yet warm, to her den ; they lick the blood, 

 they endeavour to tear the flesh, and growl as they exert their efforts ; 

 their powers now rapidly expand, they partake less of the mother's milk, 

 and more of the prey, with which she assiduously supplies them ; they 

 gambol around their parent, and chase each other, exhibiting, in playful 

 frolic, the arts of surprise and attack, which they are soon to exercise in 

 earnest ; in due time they leave their den, and follow their parent, who 

 still protects them, and supplies them with food. At length, they acquire 

 strength and energy, enabling them to depend upon their own exertions ; 

 and, now, the conduct of the parent towards them undergoes a change ; 

 she no longer participates in their gambols, or permits their familiarity, 

 but drives them from her presence ; they separate, as accident may be, 

 in different directions ; they become strangers to each other, and to their 

 parent, and spread their race in other districts. With the cessation of the 

 strong attachment of the mother to her young, usually arise feelings of 

 a different order. The impulse of nature again urges her to seek a mate ; 

 in due time, she brings forth another progeny ; rears them with solicitude, 

 and, again, compels their dispersion. 



The term of lactation is longest in the larger animals, bearing refe- 

 rence to the period of gestation, and the slow growth of the young. In 

 the Rodentia it is very short ; harmonizing with their fertility. Many 

 rodents produce young three or four times in the course of the year. The 

 period of gestation with the Guinea-pig, one of the most fertile of the 

 Rodentia, endures only for about a fortnight ; and the female reproduces 

 every two months during the spring and summer. The Rat, Mouse, 

 Hamster, &c., produce three or four litters in the course of the spring ; 

 hence, their period of lactation is short, and the young grow rapidly, soon 

 becoming independent of their parents. In some instances, the young 

 do not leave the society of their parent till long after they are able to 

 feed, and obtain their own living ; the female of the Wild Hog, for in- 

 stance, is often surrounded by young of various ages, the produce of 

 different litters : until fully mature, they are liable to become the prey 

 of the Wolf and Bear, and their safety consists in their herding together, 

 under the protection of their savage mother ; indeed, though the Boar 

 lives a solitary life, in the recesses of the forest, fearing no foe, several 

 females, with their respective young, usually accompany each other, and 

 unite in the defence of the common herd. 



Beavers, also, associate in families, consisting of two or three pairs 

 of adults, and the irrespective offspring. They produce twice a year, to 

 the extent of three or four at a birth. The young, generally, continue 

 with their parents till the third year, when they begin to form separate 

 habitations for themselves and their own progeny. 



VOL. I. 3 A 



