266 VARIETIES IN THE 



to reprodudlori are extradted. And, upon the 

 whole, it is apparent, that every thing exifts 

 which can exift. 



The times of the geftation of females are e- 

 qually various : Some, as mares, carry their 

 young from eleven to twelve months ; others, 

 as women, cows, and hinds, carry their young 

 nine months ; others, as foxes and wolves, carry 

 five months ; bitches carry nine weeks, cats fix 

 weeks, and rabbits thirty-one days. Moft birds 

 are hatched in twenty-one days ; though fome 

 of them, as the thiftle-finches, hatch in thirteen 

 or fourteen days. Here the variety is equally 

 great a>s in every other part of the oeconomy of 

 animals : The largcft animals produce fewer 

 young, and carry them longeft, which confirms 

 the dodrine, that the quantity of organic nou- 

 rifhment is proportionally lefs in large than in 

 fmall animals ; for the foetus derives its growth 

 and the expanfion of its parts from the fuper- 

 fluous nourilhment of the mother ; and, as this 

 growth requires longer time in large than in 

 fmall animals, it is a proof that the quantity of 

 organic particles is not fo great in the former as 

 in the latter. 



Animals, therefore, are much diverfified as to 

 the time and manner of geftation, of engender- 

 ing, and of producing ; and this variety origi- 

 nates from the very caules of generation. For, 

 though the organic matter, which is common to 

 every thing that lives or vegetates, be the gene- 

 ral 



