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current teftiinohy of hiftorians. However, the 
iargeft animal of this kind imported into Europe 
was only thirty-fix feet long; but it is probable that 
much larger have been feen and deftroyed before 
they were judged fufficiently curious to be fent fo 
far for the infpe6lion of the naturalift. The teeth 
of this ferpent are fmall in proportion to it's fize; 
nor does the creature ufe them, even vA\en it feizes 
the fmalleft prey. It lies in wait for wild animals 
near fome path, throws itfelf on them, and encir- 
cles them fo clofcly as to break all their bones; 
then moiftening their whole bodies over with it's 
faliva, renders them fit for deglutition, and thus 
fwallows them entire. 
JIYA. An American animal of the otter kind, 
called alfo Carigueibeiu. It is about the fize of 
the fpaniel, and of the amphibious kind of qua- 
drupeds. The head, which is round, refembles 
that of the cat, but the nofe is fomewhat pointed ; 
the eyes are black; the ears are roundifh, and 
placed very low, as in the otter; and it has a fort 
of beard or wlfilkers, compofed of a few ftiff hairs. 
The feet are all furnifhed with five toes, the inte- 
rior being the fmallefl: the hair is foft, fhort, and 
black, except on the head, where it is brown; and 
under the throat, where there is a yellow fpot. 
This creature feeds on fiflies, and fome other ani- 
mals ; and it's voice refembles that of a puppy. 
ILIVILIHU. An appellation given by the 
natives of the Philippine IQands to a very remark- 
able bird common in that country. Ornitholo- 
gifts generally diftinguifh it by the name of the 
coturnix parvula montana, the final! mountain 
quail: and indeed, in every efTential chara6ler, it 
refembles the quail ; but it's colours are miore beau- 
tifully variegated; and it is fmaller than the fpar- 
row. It commonly refides in mountainous places; 
and it's fiefli is efleemed a peculiar delicacy. 
IMAGO. A term ufed by Linnsus to exprefs 
the third flate of infefts, when they appear in their 
proper fhapes and colours, and undergo no more 
transformations. 
IMBER. A name fometimes given to that fpe- 
cies of goofe called alfo the ember and the fluder. 
IMPERIAL CROWN. A fpecies of the vo- 
iuta genus of fhells with a fharp clavicle. 
INK-FISFI. See Cuttle-Fish, and Sepia. 
INSAG. An appellation given by the natives 
of the Philippine Iflands to a fpecies of parrot com- 
mon in the fylvan parts of that country. It's co- 
lours are the moll beautiful in nature ; the body 
being a very vivid green, and the head a fine fiorid 
red. 
INSECTS. A clafs of animals fo called from 
the Latin In, and Seco, I Cut; becaufe, in many of 
thefe tribes, the body feems to be cut or divided 
into two. The diilinguifhing chara6lers of infe£ts 
are thefe: their bodies are covered with a fort of 
bony fubftance inftead of ikm-, and their heads are 
furnifhed with antenna, called horns. 
Among the infinite variety of objeifls which na- 
ture exhibits to the infpedion of the curious. In- 
fers, though the fmallefl in the fcale of being, are 
certainly not the lead interefling. Though their 
minutenefs may, at firfl view, give colour to an 
idea of their infignificance; and though the un- 
tutored part of mankind may regard them, as the 
refult of chance, or the refufe of nature ; he who 
views them with due attention, and refiefts on the 
art and mechanifin of their flrudlure, v/here fuch a 
number of vefTels, fluids, and movements, are col- 
leded into one pointj frequendy invifible to the 
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naked eye; cannot but acknowledge them to have 
been formed by the hand of unerring Providence, 
and perfeftly adapted for that fphere in exiflence 
which they are dellined to fill. 
Thofe animals which chiefly attra6l our notice 
by their magnitude, are but the fmallefl part of 
animated nature : the whole earth fwarms with liv- 
ing beings; every plant, grain, and leaf, fupports 
the lives of thoufands. Vegetables feem, at firfl 
fight, to be the parts of organized nature which 
are produced in the greatefl abundance; but, on a 
minuter infpecftion, we find each fupporting num- 
berlefs creatures, which fill up the various grada- 
tions of youth, vigour, and old age, in the fpace 
of a few days, or a few months at mofl. Vegeta- 
bles are generally produced but once in a feafbn; 
but, with refpeft to infefts, efpeciailyof the fmaller 
kinds, a fingle fummer fufrices for feveral genera- 
tions: thefe therefore would multiply in greater 
abundance than the plants on vv^hich they fubfift, 
were they not deflroyed by other animals, and not 
unfrequently by each other. Spiders feed on flies ; 
birds devour fpiders; and birds, in their turn, are 
tlie food of man, as well as of every beafl of prey. 
This wife difpofition of inilincls implanted In 
every clafs of animated nature, prevents -tl^e earth 
from being overflocked v/ith any particular kind, 
and preferves a jufl balance between the numbers 
and necefTities of every tribe. 
An Inft'£l may be defined as a litde animal With- 
out blood, bones, or cartilages; furnifhed with a 
trunk, or elfe a mouth, opening lengthwife; with 
eyes deftitute of coverings, and lungs opening on 
the fides. This definition will comprehend the 
whole clafs of Infeds, either with or without v/ings ; 
either in their caterpillar or butterfly flate; either 
produced in the ordinary method of generation 
between irsale and female, or from an animal that 
is itfelf both male and female, or from the fame 
animal cut into feveral parts, and each part repro- 
ducing a perfefl animal. 
Hence it v/ill appear, that in this clafs of nature 
there are numerous diflinftions, and that no gene- 
ral defcription v^^ill ferve for all. Almoft every 
fpecies has it's own diftindl hiftory; and exhibits 
manners, appetites, and modes of propagation, pe- 
culiar to itfelf. In the larger ranks of exiftence* 
two animals, nearly refembling each other in 
form, vnW be found to have a fimiiar hiflory; but 
here, Infefts almoft entirely fimilar Vv'ill often be 
found perfectly diflimrlar, as well in their manner 
of bringing forth and fubfifling, as in the changes 
which they undergo during their very limited lives. 
Thus, as this clafs is prolific beyond computation, 
fo are it's varieties multiplied beyond the power of 
defcription. To enumerate all the difl^erent fpe- 
cies of flies or moths, would be a fruitlefs attempt; 
but to give a hiflory of all v^^ould be utterly im- 
prafticable. So various are the appetites, the man- 
ners, and the lives, of this humble clafs of beings, 
that every fpecies requires it's diftind hiftory. 
An exa£l plan, therefore, of nature's operations,, 
in this minute fet of creatures, is not to be ex- 
pefled: and yet fuch a general pi£lure may b« 
given, as is fufiicient to evince the protedlion 
which Providence affords it's fmallefl as well as 
largefl produ6lions; and to difplay that admirable 
circulation in nature, by which one kind of beings 
finds flibfiflence from the deflruiftion of another, 
and by which life is continued v/ichout a paufe in 
every part of the creation. 
In a Gurforv infpedion of the infed tribes, th? 
