XXVI 
PREFACE. 
Mr. Robinfon feems to think, that 
Providence had given the Crows this in- 
ftind folely for the propagation of trees ; 
but, I imagine, it was given them prin- 
cipally for their own prefervation, by hid- 
ing provifion in time of plenty, in order 
to fupply them in a time of lcarcity ; for 
it is obferved, in tame Pycs and Daws 
kept about houfes, that they will hide 
their meat when they have plenty, and 
fetch it from their hiding-places when 
they want it: fo that fuch an inflind in 
thefe birds may anfwer a double purpofe, 
both their own fupport in times of need, 
and the propagation of the trees they 
plant j for, wherever they hide a great 
number of nuts or grain in the earth, we 
cannot fuppole they find them all again, 
but that as many will remain in the plat 
of ground they make ufe of, as can well 
grow by one another. Nature hath been 
amazingly bountiful in the wonderful in- 
creafe of feeds in many vegetables; info- 
much that, with proper culture, the face 
of the whole earth might be covered, 
from the feeds of a fingle plant, in a 
very few years. The feminating power 
in animals alfo equals, if not exceeds, that 
of plants: if we examine fome of the 
fi Hies and infers, we find what great 
numbers of their fpecies they are able to 
produce. But all thefe great increafers 
are liable to perpetual defirudion, they 
being the natural food of other animals, 
and of one another: the larger animals of 
prey, who are not liable to be thus de- 
ftroyed, increafe very flowly. 
It is fuppofed by many, that there are 
lands to the northward of the great 
mother of feas, the Pacific ocean, and 
that they conned the weftern parts of 
M. Robinfon paroit croire , que la Pro- 
vidence a donne cet infiint aux Corneilles 
/implement pour la propagation des arbres , 
mats je tn imagine, quit leur a ete donne 
principalement pour leur propre conferva - 
tion, en ramafjant de la provifion dam le 
temps d'abondance , afin de sen fervir dans 
la difette ; car on voit que les Pies ei les 
Gems prives, que Von a dam les mat fins, 
cachent leur manger quand Us en ont beau - 
coup, et retournent le chcrchcr quand Us en 
manquent: de forte que l inflint de ces 
oijeaux pent remplir un double but , cfi-d- 
dire , leur propre confervation en temps de 
difette, et la propagation des arbres quils 
plantent : car on ne peut guere Juppcfer 
quils retrouvent tons les grains , et toutes 
les mix, quils cachent dam la terre ; mats 
on peut conjcturer au contraire , quil en 
refie dans les endroits quils ont choifis , au- 
tant quil en faut pour garnir la terre. La 
nature a ete extremement bienfaifante d 
I'egard de la multiplication prodigieufe des 
Jemences de plufieurs vegetaux ; de forte que , 
moyennant une culture convenable , toute la 
furjdce de la terre feroit , en peu d’annees , 
couvcrte des Jemences , que pent produire une 
feule plant e. La faculte feminale dans les 
animaux egale du twins, fi merne die ticx- 
cede pas celle des plantes : quon examine 
quelques poiffons et quelques infeftes, on verra 
quel nombre prodigieux d'individus de leur 
ej'pece Us peuvent produire . Mats ces grands 
multiplicateurs font fujets d une perpctuelle 
definition , vu quils Jont la nourriture d'au- 
tres animaux , atijfibien que les uns des au - 
tres : les grands animaux de proye , qui tie 
font pas expofes d etre detruits de cette ma- 
nure, multiplient tres lentement . 
11 y a bien des gens qui fuppofent qiiil 
y a des terres au nord de la grande mere 
des rners, cefi-d-dire , V Ocean Pacijique , 
et quelles joignent enfemble les parties ccci- 
2 
