20 



CHARACTERISTICS OF ANIMALS. 



analogous to the spine, a nail to a hook, a hand to a claw, and the 

 scales of a fish to the feathers of a bird; for what a feather is to a 

 bird, that a scale is to a fish. The parts, therefore, which animals se- 

 verally possess, are, after this manner, different and the same ; and the 

 like also takes place in the position of the parts : for many animals 

 have the same parts, but not similarly situated ; as for instance, some 

 have the udder on the breast, but others between the legs.* 



As to the similar parts, again, some are soft and moist, but others 

 are dry and solid ; I mean they are either entirely moist, or are so as 

 long as they remain in their natural condition ; as blood, lymph, fat, 

 suet, marrow, the reproductive fluid, bile, milk (in those animals that 

 have it), flesh, and substances similar to these. Again, after another 

 manner, excrementitious matters (are soft parts), such as phlegm, the 

 sediments of the belly, and urine. But the solid and dry parts are such 

 as nerve, skin, vein, hair, bone, cartilage, nail, and horn. For horn is 

 homonymously predicated with respect to genus, when it is predicated 

 of figure and a whole : the parts also, analogous to the before-men- 

 tioned, are hard and dry. 



But the differences of animals are according to lives and actions, 

 manners and parts, concerning which we shall, in the first place, speak 

 generally, and afterwards discuss the genus of each. The differences, 

 therefore, are according to lives, actions, and manners ; but the causes 

 of these differences are, that some animals live in water, and others on 

 land. But the aquatic are of two kinds ; for some of them live and 

 obtain their nutriment in moisture, which they alternately receive and 

 reject ; and they cannot live when they are deprived of this, which hap- 

 pens to be the case with many fishes. Others live in moisture, and 

 derive their nourishment from it, yet they do not take in water, but 

 air, and generate externally. 



But many animals of this kind also walk as well as swim, as the 

 otter, the animal called latax, and the crocodile. Some of which are 

 also winged, as the diver and the dabchick ; and some likewise are 

 without feet, as the water-snake. But some obtain their nutriment in 

 moisture, and are not able to live out of it, yet neither take in air nor 

 moisture, as the animals called sea-nettles, and oysters. Of aquatic 

 animals, however, some live in the sea, others in rivers, others in lakes, 

 and others in marshes, as the frog, and the cordylas. And of sea 

 animals, some pertain to the main ocean, others to shores, and others 

 to rocks. 



* These profound and accurate remarks have been twisted by G. St. Hitaire, and 

 the German mystics, into a wildly absurd theory. See Montagu's Ornith. Diet. p. xlvi. 

 and t1 Standing Notice " on our cover. — Edtt. 



