XXVlii INTRODUCTION 1 *; 
young into a false belly, with which nature ha$ 
supplied her, and carries them off, or dies in the 
endeavour. But, if at this period the mildest ani- 
mals acquire new fierceness, how formidable must 
those be that subsist by rapine ! At such times/no 
obstacles can stop their ravage, nor no threats can 
terrify ; the lioness then seems more hardy than 
even the lion himself. She attacks men and beasts 
indiscriminately, and carries all she can overcome 
reeking to her cubs, whom she thus early accus- 
toms to slaughter. Milk, in the carnivorous ani- 
mals, is much more sparing than in others ; and it 
may be for this reason that all such carry home 
their prey alive, that, in feeding their young, its 
blood may supply the deficiencies of nature, and 
serve instead of that milk, with which they are so 
sparingly supplied. 
Nature, that has thus given them courage to 
defend their young, has given them instinct to 
choose the proper times of copulation, so as to 
bring forth when the provision suited to each kind 
is to be found in the greatest plenty. The wolf, 
for instance, couples, in December, so that the time 
of pregnancy continuing five months it may have its 
young in April. The mare, who goes eleven months, 
admits the horse in summer, in order to foal about 
the beginning of May, On the contrary, those 
animals which lay up provisions for the winter, 
such as the beaver and the marniotte, couple in the 
latter end of autumn, so as to have their young 
&bout January, agaipst which season they have 
