THE RAIN-DEER. 323 



dually augmented by the almoft total definition 

 of the forefts, by the fucceiTive lowering of the 

 mountains, by the diminution of the waters, by 

 the multiplication of the human race, and by 

 culture and improvement of every kind. It ap- 

 pears, likewife, that Piiny hts borrowed from 

 Caefar almoft every thing he has faid of thefe 

 two animals, and that he was the firft who in- 

 troduced confufion into their names. The alee 

 and the machlis he mentions at the fame time ; 

 from which we are led to conclude that thefe 

 two names denote two different animals*. Bur $ 

 if we confider, I. That he mentions the alee on- 

 ly once, without giving any defcription of it ; 

 2. That he alone employs the word machlis^ 

 which is neither Greek nor Latin, but feems to 

 have been coined f, and, according to his com- 

 mentators, is changed into alee in fcveral an- 

 cient manufcripts ; 3. That he attributes to the 

 machlis all that Julius Caefar has faid oi the 



X 2 alee; 



* Several of cur mod learned naturaliils, and particularly 

 Mr Ray, have thought that the machlis, being placed fo near 

 the alee, could be no other than the rain ^c^i. Cerytit rangifer f 

 the rain- deer ^ P Unto machlis ; Rati fynofif. quad. p. 88. Lc-caufe 

 I am by no means of the fame opinion, I nave here given 

 a detail of my reafons. 



t On the margin of this paffage of Pliny, we have ar l !in, 

 Snftead of machlin : Fortajps achlin, qusd Jicn cubet t fay the 

 commentators. This name, therefore, appears to h^ve been 

 coined on the fuppofition that the animal cannot lie dov. a 

 On the other hand, by tranfpofing the / in ales they have 

 made ack, which differs little from aehlis. Hence we may 

 u.ll father conclude, that this word has been corrupted !>> 

 the tranferibers, efpecially as we find alccv, inftcad of ma - 

 h - ; in federal ancient manufcripts. 



