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vers pOxTefs the ingenuity of archlteds, and rule 
like citizens. Their habitations exceed the build - 
ings of the human inhabitants of the fame coun- 
try, both in neatn.^fs and convenience. But when 
man intrudes ori their fociety, they are imprefled 
with the terrors of their inferior fituation, their 
bond of union is difTolved, and every animal 
feeks for fafety in folitude, where it exerts it's lit- 
tle induftry to provide only for itfelf. 
Next to human influence, the climate appears 
to have the ftrongeft efFe6ls on the nature and 
fhape of Quadrupeds. As in man, fo in the 
lower ranks, that are more fubjeil to variation, 
the influence of climate is more immediately dif- 
covered: thefe, being more nearly attached to the 
earth, and in fome i.le^rce . onnefted with the foil, 
are unable to ihield themfelves from the incle- 
mency of the v^eather, or to fofren the intenfe heat 
of the fun; and confeqUentl/ undergo the greater 
change by it's variat'ons. It is a general remark 
that, the colder the country, the longer and warmer 
the fur of the anini . nature having wifelv or- 
dained that the inhabitant fhould be adapted to 
it's fiLuation. In temper re climates, the fox and 
the wolf have Ihort hai""; but in the frozen regions 
near the pole, they have a firie long fur; and thofe 
dogs which in our latitudes have long hair, when 
carried to Guinea or Angola, preiently drop their 
covering, and aflfi-ime a liglucr one, better adapted 
to the warmth of the climate. 
Beavers and ermines, which are very numerous 
in the colder regions, are remarkable for the 
tvarmth and delicacy of their furs; while the ele- 
phant and the rhinoceros, who are natives of the 
line, are almoft defl:itute of hair. Human induf- 
try can, in fome meafure, reprefs the effedls of 
climate in this particular. We are fenfible what 
alterations proper care can produce in the fleeces 
of fheep in different parts of our own country; 
and the fan.e induftry is attended with equal fuc- 
cefs in Syria, where many animals are cloathed 
with long and beautiful '^air, which being im- 
prove;", is manufri'^'ired i ';r'j camblet, a fl;uff well 
known in mofl: parts of Europe. 
The difpofition, as well as the figure of Qua- 
drupeds, feems to be ;ri,irked by the climate. 
What has renderco rhe huinan inhabitants of the 
rigorous climates favage and ignorant, has alfo 
operated on their anim ils. The wild Quadru- 
peds are fierce and untradable both at the line 
and the pole : there their innate ferocity has not 
been quelled by any efforts of man; and being 
ftill farther ftlmulated by the feverity of the wea- 
ther, they continue favage and untraftable. All 
efforts h i the rto m ad^^ t o f i bd ue wi Id be alls brou gh t 
either from the pole or the equator, have in gene- 
ral proved ineffeftual: while young, they are gen- 
tle and inoffenfive; but their natural ferocity in- 
creafes ,vi'"h their bulk, and they foon attempt to 
tear ti.e verr hand that feeds them. 
In all countries wh'''-e the human fpecies are 
moil barbarous, the animals are alfo moft favage 
and cruel. Africa has e^:er been difgraced by the 
barbarity of it's men, and the ferocity of it's 
beafts: it's crocodiles and it's ferpents are as 
dreadful as it's lions and it's leopards; their dif- 
pofitions ieem to be entirely flramped with the na- 
ture of the climate; and, bred in extreme heat, 
they difcover peculiar ferocity, invincible either 
by the force or ingenuity of mankind. Fortu- 
nately, however, for the wretched inhabitants of 
thofe climates, it's m.oft formidable enemies are 
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all folitary ones, and ignorant of the arts of unit- 
ing, in order to oppofe or op; refs mankind. 
The quantity of food in any country, or it'? 
nutriment, adapted to every peculiar fpecies, alfo 
confliitutes a variety in the fize of the refped:ive 
animals. Thofe Quadrupeds v/hich feed in the 
vallies are generally larger than fuch as glean a 
fcanty fubfiftence on the mountains. In warm 
cliinates, whofe plants are large and fucculent, the 
animals are equally remarkable for their bulk: 
the ox fed in rhe plains of Hindoflian is confider- 
:'''y larger than that which is but fparingly main- 
tained on the fides of the Alps. 
Indeed, the largefl:, as well as fiercefl: animals, 
are produced in the defarts of Africa, where the 
herbs are extremely nutritive; and perhaps, for a 
contrary reafon, America does not afford fuch 
large animals as are found in the ancient conti- 
nent. It is however certain, whatever may be 
the reafon, that though America does not produce 
fuch (lately animals of the Quadruped kind as the 
Old World, it infinitely exceeds it in the fize of 
it's reptiles: thus, for inftance, the largefl: aninial 
of the New World is the tapiir, which is by no 
means comparable to the elephant of Africa. It's 
beafls of prey alfo are divefl:ed of that courage 
and ftrength which are fo formidable in that part 
of the world. The American lion, tiger, and leo- 
pard, if fuch diminutive animals deferve thefe ap- 
pellations, are neither fo fierce nor fo valiant as 
thofe of Afia and Africa. The tiger of Bengal 
has been known to meafure twelve feet, exclufive 
of it's tail; whereas the American animal of the 
fame name feldom exceeds three. This difference 
obtains flill more in the other animals of that 
country: hence fom.e authors have been of opi- 
nion, that all the Quadrupeds of South America 
are of a different fpecies from thofe mofl: refeiri- 
bling them in the Old World; and that there are 
none common to both but fuch as have entered 
America by the north ; and which, being able to 
endure the rigours of the frozen pole, have tra- 
velled from the ancient continent, by that paf- 
fage, into the new. Thus the bear, the wolf, the 
elk, the flag, the fox, and the beaver, are com- 
mon in the northern parts of America as well as 
of Europe; while molt of the various kinds to the 
fouthward, in both continents, bear no refem^ 
blance to each other. In fiiort, fuch as particu- 
larly belong to the new continent are deftitute o^ 
any marks of the Quadruped perfection : they are 
generally almoft defencelefs ; neither their teeth, 
horns, nor tailj are formidable; their figure is auk- 
ward; and their limbs want proportion. Some 
of them, fuch as the ant-bear and the floth, ap- 
pear to be fo miferably formed, as fcarcely to pof- 
fefs the power of moving and feeding: they appa- 
rently drag out a miferable and languid exiftence 
in the mofl: deferted folitudes; and would foon be 
deftroyed in a country where there were either 
inh.abitants or powerful animals to oppofe them. 
But if the American Quadrupeds are fmaller, 
they arc much more numerous; it being an inva- 
riable rule throughout all nature, that the fmallefl: 
animals are always moft prolific. The goat, when 
imported from Europe to South America, foon 
begins to degenerate; but, as it grov/s lefs, it be- 
comes more fruitful; and, inftead of one or two 
kids at a time, generally produces five, and fom*- 
times more. Whether this change is efte6led by 
the food or the climate, is perhaps difficult to de- 
termine; though we fliould be inclined to afcribe 
it 
