HISTORY OF MEXICO. 



207 



ufe of a different fcale of dimenfions (u). It is eafy alfo 

 to demonftrate the miftake of Mr. de Paw, when he fays 

 that all the quadrupeds of America are a fixth lefs than 

 their correfpondents in the old continent. The Tuza 

 of Mexico is analogous to the European mole, but is 

 larger according to what count de Buffon fays. That 

 Mexican quadruped called by count de Buffon coqualline^ 

 and by us tlalmototli^ is analogous to the European fquir- 

 rel, and yet. according to the fame author is of twice its 

 fize. The cojote, analogous to the chacal, is of twice 

 its fize. The llama, or ram of Peru, analogous to the 

 European ram, is beyond comparifon larger, &c. But 

 thofe philofophers are fo eager to depreciate and under- 

 value its animals, that they even find fubjecl: for cenfure 

 in their tails, in their feet, and in their teeth. " Not 

 cc only," fays count de Buffon, " has there been a fcar- 

 cc city of matter in the new continent, but likewife the 

 " forms of its animals are imperfect, and appear to have 

 " been neglected. The animals of South America, 

 " which are thofe that properly belong to the new con- 

 " tinent, are almofl all deprived of tu/ks, horns, and 

 ** tails ; their fliape is extravagant, their limbs difpro- 

 *f portionate, and ill fet ; and fome of them, like the 

 " ant-killers and floths, are of fo miferable a nature, 

 " that they have hardly ability to move, and to eat." 

 <c The animals native to the new world," fays Mr. de 

 Paw, " are in general of an ungraceful form ; fome of 

 " them fo aukwardly made, that thofe who firfl made 

 " defigns of them could hardly exprefs their characters. 

 " It has been obferved that the greater part of them 

 " want the tail, and have a particular irregularity in 



" their 



(*) Hift. Nat. torn, xxviii. 



