HISTORY OF MEXICO. 



211 



Briffon, the publifher of the Cabinet of Seba, and above 

 them all Vofmaer, a learned and diligent naturalift of 

 Holland that the Unau, one of the fpecies of floths, 

 is an Allatic animal. The Unau of Bengal, which has 

 been feen, bred, and exactly defcribed by this naturalift, 

 cannot have been tranfported from America ; for no 

 commerce between South America and Afia has ever 

 fubfifted. Befides, the Unau of Bengal differs from that 

 of America : the former has five, the latter only two 

 toes to its feet. If the count de Buffon is perfuaded 

 that the climate of Afia could increafe the number of 

 toes of the American quadruped, we would then fay to 

 thofe quadrupeds that the climate of the old continent 

 would be capable of reftoring the tails, horns, and tuiks, 

 of which the pernicious climate of America has deprived 

 them. Whoever will read the eloquent defcription given 

 of the American floth by the count de Buffon, and com- 

 pare it with that given by Mr. Vofmaer of the floth 

 pentadaffylus of Bengal, will foon perceive that this Afi- 

 atic quadruped is as miferable as thofe of America. 



But let us philofophically examine what thofe authors 

 fay refpe&ing the fuppofed irregularity of thofe quadru- 

 peds. Real irregularity in animals is fome difpropor- 

 tion of their limbs, or Angularity in the form, or in the 

 difpofitions of fome individuals with refpeel: to the gene- 

 rality of their fpecies, not that which is obferved in a 

 new fpecies compared with one which is known. It 

 would be extremely abfurd to confider the techichi an ir- 

 regular animal, becaufe it does not bark. This is an 

 American quadruped, which, from its refemblance to 

 European dogs, was called dog by the Spaniards : not 

 becaufe it was of the fame fpecies : and from thence 



rofe 



(b) Defcription de plufiews Animaux. A work printed at Amfterdam. 



