CHARACTERS OF THE SUB-TYPICAL FORM. QAT 
animals, in their moral character, can be more opposite : 
the one is the most useful, docile, and tameable of the 
brute creation ; the other wild, revengeful, and showing 
an innate detestation of man. ‘The ox is the typical 
example of the genus; the bison is the sub-typical. In 
the genus Equus, as already intimated (p.240.), the same 
beautiful and wonderful prevalence of this universal law 
of nature is manifested ; the horse being the typical, 
while the zebra is the sub-typical form of the genus. 
(307.) In regard to the numerical contents of these 
groups, they are almost universally less than those which 
are typical, and the reason is manifest : were it otherwise, 
we should have the carnivorous tribes extirpating those 
which had not their ferocious dispositions: the wild 
beasts of the forests, were they equal in number to the 
peaceful inhabitants of the plains, would in process of 
time effect their entire destruction ; while the same result 
would be accomplished by the rapacious birds upon the 
rest of the feathered creation: nor would the insect world 
preserve its nicely adjusted balance: the carnivorous spi- 
ders and scorpions, were they as numerous as the flies, 
and others upon which they feed, would soon destroy all 
the tribes of herbivorous insects. It is therefore wisely 
ordained, that the animals belonging to sub-typical 
groups (especially such as are pre-eminently so) should 
be comparatively few, and that their increase should be 
slow. Eagles and hawks rarely lay more than two eggs, 
and fecundity is well known to be much greater among 
the smaller quadrupeds than with the Fere. The 
singular threatening aspect which the caterpillars of the 
sphinx moths assume, on being disturbed, is a remark- 
able modification of the terrific or evil nature which is 
impressed, under one form or other, — palpable or re- 
mote, —upon all sub-typical groups ; for this division of 
the Lepidopterous order is precisely of this denomination. 
How then, it may be asked, is this repulsive property 
shown among the true butterflies (Papilionides Sw.), 
which are the pre-eminent types of the order? The 
Papilionides are a circular group ; consequently they 
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