56 TRAVELS IN 
fhall fooa lay before the public ; but let no one 
t^xped, as I have already obferved, geometrico- 
jnlcrofcopical denionftrations. I fliall enlarge 
with pleafure on the manners and habit? of the 
animals with which I have lived : the mod 
firaple obfervation of this nature will afford us 
rnore happy and certain conclufions, than the 
examination of their (molding and dumb en- 
trails ; — ^that abfolute quackery, calculated to 
deceive its ignorant admirers, and often, which 
is ftill worfe, the learned themfelves. 
I fhall more particularly attend to the effen- 
tial parts, and of thofe parts fhall confider 
chiefly the forms. With regard to the animal 
altogether, that is to fay its external appear- 
ance, a fimple defcription, affifted by an accu- 
rate figure, will always be fufEcient to dif- 
tinguith it, and prevent it from being con- 
founded with another : but God forbid that I 
iliould ever employ my time in meafuring the 
length, breadth, and thicknefs of every tooth 
of a quadrupede, in giving the exad dimen- 
fions of the apertures of the eyes and of th^ 
noflrils, the magnitude of the hole of each 
vertebre, the circumference and diameter of 
ihe anus, the thicknefs of the rectum, th^ 
fize 
