OF NATURE. 
1 19 
If we confider the end for which it pleafed 
the Supreme Being to conftitute fuch an order 
of nature, that fome animals Ihould be, as it 
were, created only to be miferably butchered 
by others, it feems that his Providence not 
only aimed at fuftaining, but alfo keeping a 
juft proportion amongft all the fpecies ; and fo 
prevent any one of them increafing too much, 
to the detriment of men, and other animals. 
For if it be true, as it is moft afluredly, that 
the furface of the earth can fupport only a cer- 
tain number of inhabitants, they muft all pe- 
rifli, if the fame number were doubled, or 
tripled, Derh. Phyf. Theol, p, 237. 
There are fome viviparous flies , which bring 
forth 2000 young. Thefe in a little time would 
fill the air, and like clouds intercept the rays 
of the fun, unlefs they were devoured by birds, 
ipiders, and many other animals. 
Storks , and falcons free iEgypt from frogs > 
which after the inundation of the Nile, cover 
all the countrey. The fame birds alfo clear 
Paleftine of mice . Bellonius on this fubject 
fays as follows. “ The forks come to iEgypt 
in fuch abundance, that the fields, and mea- 
dows are white with them. Yet the iEgyp- 
“ tians are not difpleafed with this fight ; as 
* Mufch^nbr. 
I 4 . “frogs 
