11 



iover of science, that, on becoming possessed of any new 

 species, whether it be a B^ast, a Bird, a Fish, or a 

 Flowar, he endeavour to become acquainted with its 

 aifinities, its relations, its antipathies, its delights, not 

 only as it regards the object immed'itoly nuder exami- 

 nation ; but also what. part it acts or fills up in the 

 general econcmy. Thus, I observe, a qus draped grazing 

 beside a stream, in some sequestered vale, on ap- 

 proachi>ig it, I discover it is greatly inconver/ienced by 

 the stings or wounds of innumerable ijisec^;^, that are 

 besetting it on every side, maddened willi pain, the 

 animal rushes for relief into the watQr, the insects, dis- 

 lodged by this element are greedily devoured by the fmny 

 inhabitants of the stream; these latter are immediately 

 siezed by birds of prey, who were awaiting the instant 

 the fish should rise to the surface of the water. Our 

 Quadruped relieved from its tormentors, quits this place 

 and repairs to some distant forest, in its way it un- 

 avoidably crusi.es down the high grass and other herbage 

 beneath its feet, the seeds of which cling to its skin, 

 -some by natural hooks aud appendages supplied for 

 the purpose, others attaching themselves to the fur, from 

 the moisture it retains, and are by these means transported 

 far from their native vale, to afford sustenance to other 

 animals in distant countries. 



By means equally simple the bounteous hand of a be- 

 nevolent Creator spreads a table for his meanest creatures • 

 nor do we meet with any thing like want in the wilds of 

 nature; sudden accidents may undoubtedly reduce many 

 *f the lower classes of auiinali* to a slate of famine, but 



