47 



America, presenting them to the eye in three different 

 tahles, in one of which shall be enumerated those 

 found in both countries; in a second, those found in 

 one only ; in a third, those which have been domestica- 

 ted in both. To facilitate the comparison, let those of 

 each table be arranged in gradation according to their 

 sizes, from the greatest to the smallest, so far as their 

 sizes can be conjectured. The weights of the large 

 animals shall be expressed in the English avoirdupoise 

 pound and its decimals: those of the smaller in the same 

 ounce and its decimals. Those which are marked 

 llius,^ are actual weights of particular subjects, deemed 

 among the largest of their s[)ecies. Those marked 

 thus,f are furnished by judicious persons, well acquaint- 

 ed with the species, and saying, from conjecture only, 

 what the largest individual they had seen would proba- 

 bly have weighed. The other weights are taken from 

 Messrs. Buffon and D'Aubenton, and are of such sub- 

 jects as came casually to their hands for dissection. 

 This circumstance must be remembered where their 

 weights and mine stand opposed : the latter being 

 stated, not to produce a conclusion in favour of the 

 American species, but to justify a suspension of opinion 

 until we are better informed, and a suspicion, in the 

 mean time, that there is no uniform difference in favour 

 of either; which is all I pretend. 



