138 ON THE FOOD OF ANIMALS. 



spirit, and as many fighting propensities at a 

 certain season of the year, as the latter. Scar- 

 city of food then, and its circumscribed position* 

 cause these to feed in strife, whilst its abun- 

 dance and extended distribution enable those 

 to graze in peace. In a word, harmony exists 

 where Nature " epulas sine csede et sanguine 

 praebet," — and discord, where " sanguine san- 

 guis alatur." 



Food has a surprising effect on the animal 

 system ; and in its quality, use, and quantity, 

 man — rational man, may take a salutary lesson 

 from the irrational favourites which flock around 

 his homestead. The Spaniards tell us, that 

 other people's cares destroy the ass, — « Qui- 

 dados agenos matan al asno." But, put ting- 

 aside harsh usage and too much work, how 

 comes it that an ass, contented with his thistle 

 in the hedge bottom of the highway, will live 

 for twenty or thirty years without an apparent 

 ailment ; whilst a man labours under one kind 

 of disease or other, more or less severe, during 

 a considerable portion of his life ? How is it, 

 that through the effect of man's improvements 

 in agriculture, the stag in his luxuriant park 

 contracts a disease in the liver ; whilst that on 



