OF NATURAL HISTORY. 599 



CHAPTER XV. 



Of the Artifices of Animals. 



IT will be recoUeded, that many inftances of the dexterity and 

 artifices employed by different animals in various parts of their 

 manners and oeconomy, have been occafionally mentioned in feveral 

 of the foregoing chapters. This circumftance, to avoid repetitions, 

 will neceffarily render the prefent chapter proportionally fhort. 



The artifices pradifed by animals proceed from feveral motives, 

 many of which are purely inftindiive, and others are acquired by ex- 

 perience and imitation. Their arts, in general, are called forth and 

 exerted by three great and important caufes, the love of life, the de- 

 fire of multiplying and continuing the fpecies, and that ftrong at- 

 tachment which every animal has to its offspring. Thefe are the 

 fources from which all the movements, all the dexterity, and all the 

 fagacity of animals originate. The principle of felf-prefervation is 

 inftindtive, and ftrongly impreffed upon the minds of all animated 

 beings. It gives rife to innumerable arts of attack and defence, and 

 not unfrequently to furprifing exertions of fagacity and genius. The 

 fame remark is applicable to the defire of multiplication, and to pa- 

 rental affedion. Upon this fubjedl '.ve fhall, as ufual, give fome ex- 

 amples 



