ON THE FOOD OF ANIMALS. 137 



could not fail to come in contact for obvious 

 reasons, and then the weaker would be con- 

 sumed ; after which, if the carnivorous animals 

 remained in company, mutual slaughter would 

 be the consequence, or individual death through 

 starvation. When the wolf has business at the 

 sheepfold he goes alone. " Incustoditum captat 

 ovile lupus." 



As food is evidently the staff of animal life, 

 and its chief enjoyment, we ought not even to 

 hazard a conjecture, that Providence would 

 doom carnivorous animals, as we do our poor, 

 to die for want of it ; and which most assuredly 

 would be their ultimate destiny, did they seek 

 support in congregated packs. But, were carnal 

 food as widely diffused, and as easy of access as 

 is the herbaceous, we might possibly observe 

 the phenomenon of carnivorous animals en- 

 joying a hearty meal together, without a single 

 growl or angry look. 



Peaceable is the conduct of the bull, the 

 ram, the horse, and the goat, when grazing on 

 the flowery pasture. But widely different 

 would be the demeanour of a wolf, a fox, a 

 foumart, and a jackal, on the prostrate carcass 

 of a wild boar. Still, the former have as much 



