136 
These numbers of species must of course be regarded merely 
as an approximation to the correct number, but an approxima- 
tion not in the sense of excess but in the sense of defect. 
Every continent, every island that is explored, is found to 
contain its own species, so that, as zoological investigation 
advances, we must expect the list of species to be largely 
increased. Now, if the Deluge was universal, the whole of 
these must have found accommodation in the Ark. Nay, 
more than these, for of those which, according to the Jewish 
law, were reckoned clean,” Noah was commanded to take 
by sevens, and of those which were reckoned “ unclean ” by 
twos, so that at the least a million of living creatures must 
have had their habitat in the Ark for a year. Nor do the 
difficulties regarding accommodation end here. Nothing can 
be plainer from the Mosaic history than this, that none of 
these creatures were fed miraculously. “ Take thou unto 
thee of all food that is eaten, and thou shalt gather it to thee, 
and it shall be for food for thee and for them ” (Gen. vi. 21). 
Who will estimate the number of animals required for the 
support of the carnivora, and the quantity of forage required 
for the support of the herbivora during the twelve months of 
the Flood ? Indeed, as a writer on this subject. Dr. King, 
has well remarked, the food of many animals was of such a 
kind as scarcely to admit of being stored up. Ant-eaters, for 
example, would not easily be supplied with ant-hills. 
Now, will any one be bold enough to maintain that that 
Ark, the dimensions of which are given in the Book of 
Genesis, was capable of containing a tithe of those animals, 
which, if the Deluge was universal, must have found pro- 
tection within it ? Assign to it the utmost capacity that 
fancy has ever yet claimed for it, and it will be found im- 
possible to accommodate even a small proportion of the 
animals, which, on the assumption of a world-wide flood, 
would need to be preserved, to say nothing of the thousands 
of others, which would be required if the carnivora were to 
be fed, and the incalculable stores of forage which would be 
devoured every day, during twelve months, if life were to be 
barely kept in the herbivora. 
Another difficulty must be met by those who maintain the 
universality of the Deluge. It is in the transit to and from 
the Ark, of the animals whose habitats were separated from 
each other by oceans, by mountain-chains, by half the cir- 
cumference of the globe. So long as science was in its infan- 
tile state, considerations like these presented no insurmount- 
able obstacles. Begarding the animals characteristic of various 
