OF MULES. 25 



In domeftic animals, who are well fed and 

 taken care of, multiplication is greater than in 

 thofe who continue in a wild ftate. Of this we 

 have an example in domeftic dogs and cats, who 

 produce feveral times every year ; but, when in 

 a natural ftate, they produce only once in the 

 fame period. Domeftic birds furnilh an example 

 ftill more ftriking : Can the fecundity of any 

 fpecies of wild birds be compared 10 that of a 

 well fed hen, when pr.perly ferved with a cock ? 

 And, even in the human fpecies, what a vaft 

 difference between the fcanty propagation of fa- 

 vages, and the immenfe population of civilized 

 nations, under the adminiftration of a wiie go- 

 vernn^nt ? But we here confine ourfelves to the 

 fecundity natural to animals in full poflV ffion of 

 liberty, the relative fertility of whom is exhi- 

 bited in the following Table, from which forae 

 important conclufions may be drawn. 



TABLE 



