H CHARACTERS, &c 



Thefe animals are mute when not pro- 

 vided with fome particular inftrument fe- 

 parate and diftind from the mouth, with 

 which they make a noife (as many do by 

 the fridion of fome of their joints) and 

 deaf, though they are by fome means fen- 

 fible of the vibration of the air ; they are 

 every where more in number than the fpe- 

 cies of exifting plants, but feem fewer, on 

 account of the greater field they have to 

 range in. According to the climates they 

 inhabit, they are either tropical, arffical, or 

 antarftical, which laft, however, are as 

 yet unknown. In point of duration they 

 are annual (except fuch as inhabit the 

 waters) and, confidered as individuals are 

 the fmallefl of animals> but, taken all to- 

 gether, form the greateft part (with re* 

 gard to bulk) of the animal kingdom. 

 Their influence in the oeconomy of na- 

 ture is likewife the greateft, but beino- 

 more generally diffufed, arid from their 

 minutenefs lefs obvious, is not fo liable to 

 be defeated, as if exercifed by larger ani- 

 animals, which fecurity is the more necef- 



