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functions acted upon in such an endless variety of ways, 

 that, to enable any one to give a complete history of any 

 plant or animal, he must become acquainted with the 

 history of (perhaps I shall not be advancing too much, in 

 saying,) every other existing substance ; as, if it b© 

 a plant, the earth in which it resides, and from which 

 it derives its support, the rain, the dews, the snows that 

 nourish or protect it, the air in which it may be said to 

 breathe, all form a part or are connected with its history; 

 together, with that of the Quadrupeds which browze on its 

 foliage; the Birds that nestle in its branches; the Insects 

 that resort to it for food, and shelter ; the Animals which 

 these different classes tend to support, or at least con- 

 tribute to the comfort of, have also equal claims in the 

 history of our plant; that what Avith describing the plant, 

 its air, its earth, its waters, its inhabitants, and the 

 purposes to which these are severally applied in the 

 economy of nature; the life of man would not suffice 

 to give even an imperfect outline. It being obvious 

 that it is these affinities and the contrasts they afford, 

 that render the science of Natural History so particularly 

 engaging, the urging the attention of the Naturalist to 

 these particulars, will not appear trifling, and as they 

 may not have occurred to every one, we would rather 

 tresspass, for a short time, on the patience of our better 

 informed reader, than by neglecting the opportunity,, 

 suffer any one through ignorance or inattention^ to miss 

 those pleasures we have constantly found to attend this 

 part of the study of Natural History, 



In pursuing this idea, we would recommend to everjr 



