wad; 
‘ 
26 “THE AUSTRALIAN NATURALIST. 
aided efforts, acquired a very high proficiency in Natural 
Science. The first book contains mainly extracts from 
different authors on the most varied subjects, from obser- 
yations.on Geology, Ethnology, Chemistry, and Mathe- 
matics, to ‘‘Reflections on Creation,’’? from one of Dr. 
Blair’s sermons. Some of the papers are extremely quaint. 
Thus, in an essay on ‘‘Generation of Plants and Animals,”’ 
quoted from a letter by Dr. Burthogge, a Devonshire phy- 
-sician, to Mr. Locke, the old legend of the growth of eels 
from horse-hairs is told thus:—‘‘Pluck a hair from a 
mare’s tail and instantly, while quick with life, put it 
ing water—it will become a little animal; it will have a, 
head (the only thing wanting, for the tail is already com- 
pleted), and be a serpent in miniature. The experiment 
will be most. effectual if the hair be plucked at a par- 
. ticular season. The little animal will then be most frisky 
and begin to move much sooner than if it were plucked in 
a less genial season. This experiment seems to confirm the 
doctrine of equivocal generation more than any other 
author has been able to do; yet, after all, it is very prob- 
lematical.’’ 
é So, evidently, worthy Dr. Burthogge had his doubts. 
- One wonders if Mr. Manshell ever tried the experiment, 
himself. 
Here is another interesting quotation:—‘An in- 
genious author’s remarks on noxious animals.—It may be 
asked, whence arises the necessity of those noxious animals - 
which we meet with in most parts of the globe? Would it 
not have been better if Providence had furnished it with 
harmless creatures adapted only to feed on the fruits of 
the earth, fit emblem of celestial innocence? To this may 
be answered that Providence is, in this instance, par- 
ticularly wise. The earth was made in order to support 
the greatest number of animals possible; it is most con- 
sistent with the goodness of an all-wise Creator to give 
being to as many creatures as His earth would nourish. 
Were all animals, therefore, only to live upon the fruits 
and herbs of the field, they could not possibly subsist in 
such numbers as they now do, as there would not be a 
sufficient quantity of food to supply them. But as some 
live upon the fruit, and are food for others, which in turn 
