1/ SmVETS of XATURE, Historical, ^ouaz, i:j^Ti:RTAijrijrG , PREscrPLEs of Xatur.\l Science by Fraj^cis Fitzgerald FfqT voL.n. PR E FA G E TQ THE SECOND VOLUME. NATURAL Hiftory is a fubje61: very extenlive in itfelf, and which has been treated by many writers in a manner fo voluminous, that its information is now rather a Itudy than an accomphlhment, and much beyond the re- tention of the memory. In facl, on fome articles it offers much that fcarce deferves retention, while its accounts of others are very limited. This divifion of our work is an attempt to prefent a ge- neral view of the fubjecl:, as little encumbered by foreign matter, or by idle tales, as podible : oflFering the chief fpe« cimens of each kind, and enabling the reader to acquire a knowledge of mod particulars which are interefling. It was necefTary in this intent to avoid the fhackles of fyflem^ yet, firmly adhering to order, to group what feemed allied, and to (late thofe apparent relations which indicate iimila- rity, to avoid repetition and redundance, to affift the me- mory by concifenefs, perfpicuit*)', and relevancy. Want of fubjecl has been no difficulty, but to determine on a judicious felection, and to regulate their introdudtion, Vol. II. a has PREFACE. has often been embarraflTing, and occupied much reflexion: We prefume to think that no work of only equal bulk con- tains npiore information of general and familiar uJTe, nor ^^ com- pleter or more compendious manual of natural knowledge : whether its merit be equal to the labour it has coft, or its utility be equal to the wifhes of its author, muft now be fubmitted to the determination of a candid and indulgent public ; from whom, in the courfe of publication, we have received the moll liberal teflimony, and to whom we return our grateful acknowledgments, for numerous inflances of approbation, and numerous marks of kindnefs and conf^, dence. C O NT E NT S OF THE SECOND VOLUME. M SURVEYS OF NATURE. PART THE THIRD. AN the firft in rank on the globe — variation — by climate— manners of life — cuftoms-r-food — his original colour^of one original. VARIETIES OF THE HUMAN SPECIES. Laplanders, &c. page i. — Tartars, &c. page 2. — Chinefe, &c. P^gc S.-'^Negroes, page 3. — Americans, page 3. — Europeans, page 4. ~ QJJ ADRUPEDS. Page Page The HojisE - - 5 The Mule ^ 9 The Ass - - 7 The Z£B RA • 10 Vol. II. a RUMI- CONTEKTS. RUMINATING ANIMALS, page 12. The Cow kind The Urus The Bifon The Buffalo Page 16 Sheep and Goat Iceland Sheep Broad-tailed Sheep Strepficheros Guinea Sheep The Moufflon - The Goat - - . Angora Goat Syrian Goat American Goat Cape of Good Hope Goat - "Whida Goat Ibex . . ^ Chamois Page iS 20 20 20 20 21 21 22 22 22 ^3 ^3 23 2^ GAZELLES, or ANTELOPES. Page Twelve varieties TheBuBALus ' The Condoma The GuiB African wild Goat Chevrotin 26-27 27 27 27 27 28 The deer The Stag KIND. Page - - 28 Chiuefe Stag Corfican Stag Tragelaphus Axis Mexican Stags The Fallow Deer The Roe-Buck The Elk The Rein-Deer The Musk Animal pACtt fr 31 31 31 31 32 34 35 37 Page The Camel and Dromedary 39 The Lama - 41 The HOG KIND. Page The Boar - - 43 The African Wild Boar 45 The Peccary - - 46 The Babyrouessa - 48 The DOG KIND. The Doc His varieties The Wolf Wolf of America The Fox His varieties The Jackal The IsATis P The Hyena age 49 51 54 57 58 60 60 61 62 The CONTENTS. The cat KIND. Page 64 es 66 "The Domestic Cat Wild Cat Its varijeties The Lion The Tiger His varieties The Cougar The Panther The Leopard The Jaguar The Ounce The Tiger-Cat The Lynx The Syagush The Serval • 70 71 r- 73 73 73 74 4 75 76 76 The weasel The Weasel The Ermine The Ferret The Polecat The Martin The Sable The Ichneumon The Stinkards The Sqiiafh The Skunk The Conepate The Zorille The Genette The Civet The Glutton KIND. Page - ^ 77 - 78 79 80 81 12 83 84 84 84 84 84 85 86 87 The hare The Hare The Rabbit The Syrian Rabbit The Marmotte The Agouti The Paca The Guinea-Pig KIND. Page 8g 90 91 92 94 95 The Squirrel Its varieties The Flying Squirrel Page 97 97 99 The rat KIND. The great Rat - - The black Rat The black Water Rat The Mouse The long-tail'd Field Moufe The Shrew Moufe The Dormouse The MusK Rat The Hamster The Iteming The Mole Page 100 100 100 lOI lOI lOI 102 1Q2 103 104 10: The PRICKLY KIND. Page The Hedge-Hog - 107 The Tanrec - 108 a a The CONTENTS, The Tendrac The Porcupine The Couando The Urfon Page io8 J 09 1 1 The monkey KIND. Apes. Pace The OURAN OUTAKO III The "Pongo - 113 The Jpe 113 The long-armed Jpe 113 The Magot 113 Baboons. The Baboon 113 The Wander Qw 114 The :Bigtail 114 Monkeys. The OUARINE '15 African. American, Their varieties 116 Sapajous 7 117 Sacoins t 117 Mo c 0 c 0 s. Page The Mococo ■ 118 The MoNGooz 118 theVARi 119 The Lori 119 Oppossums, The Op possum 119 TheMARMOSE 120 The Cayopolin The Phalanger The Tarfier 120 120 120 AMPHIBIOUS QUA- DRUPEDS. The Otter The Beaver The Seal or Phoca The Morse The Manati Page 121 123 126 126 The HippopoTAMos The Tapiir Page 127 1 25 SCALY AND SHELLY QU A D R U P E D S. Page The Pangolin - 129 The Armadillq - 130 Its varieties - 134 QUADRUPEDS that will not range under any of ;he foregoing divifions. Page The Elephant - 132 The Rhinoceros 135 ThQ CONTENTS. Page The Giraffe, or Camelopar- The Sloth DALIS The Bear Its varieties The Racoon The COATIMONDI Ant-Eaters Their varieties 135 Its varieties 136 The Gerboa The Kangaroo 138 The Bat 139 Its varieties '39 Page 140 141 142 144 SURVEYS OF NATURE. PART THE FOURTH. B R D S. THEIR external (hape — their feathers — wings — manner of rifing — - toes — bones — lefpiration — length of life — moulting — incubation — paffage — varieties. — — Distinctions, page 10. Page Page The EAGLE 11 The Kifig of the Vultures 15 lis varieties 12-13 Pag£ Page The Falcon m 16 The Vulturk U The gyr Falcon - « 16 Its varieties 14 Falcon-gentle - Other CONTENTS. Page Page Other varieties z6 The Partridge 34 ThQ Kite 17 Varieties 35 The Buzzard 17 The Quail 36 Its varieties 17 Varieties 37 The BuTCHER-BlRDS Page The pie KIND Their varieties 18 Page The Raven The Crow 38 ■M 39 The owl KIND. The Jackdaw 39 Page The Chough 40 The great Horned Owl 19 The Rook 40 The common Horned Owl 20 The Calaos 40 The Howlet The Toucan 41 Varieties 20 The Magpie 43 The Chatterer f 44 The Roller The Nutcracker 44 44 The poultry KIND. The Bustard 21 Varieties 22 The WOODPECKERS. ThcTlNAMOUS 2^ Page The Turkey 22 The green Woodpecker 45 The Peacock 24 The Creepers 46 The Hoccos ^5 26 The Hoopoes 47 The Pheasant The Promerops 47 Varieties 27 28 The Bee-Eaters 47 The Guinea Hen * The Flv-Catchers 48 The Cock 29 10 The Ant^Eaters 48 Varieties Varieties 49. The Cock of the Rocks The AVry-Neck 4? The Agami J 34 34 34 The Anis 50 The Grous The Ox-Pecker 50 The l^lack Cock Varieties NESTS, ,jifjij:ofk Varieties 51 I Thp CONTENTS. The bird OF PARADISE. Pace Varieties - . 52 The cuckoo. Varieties Pace 53> 54 PARROTS. The Cockatoo Parrots Lories Long-tailed Parroquets Short'tailed Parroquets Magkaws Amazons Criks Page 55 56 56 56 57 57 57 58 The pigeon. The Stock-Dove Dome/lie Pigeon The Ring Dove The Turtle Dove The Peacock Pigeon The Crown Fowl Page 61 61 62 62 63 63 The SPARROW KIND. Page The Thrush - 6c The Black Bird . 66 The Blue Bird - 66 Vol. II. The Field-fare The Starling The Mock Bird The Martin The Nightingale The Red-Breast The Blue-Breast Larks The Black-Cap The Wren The Golden- crejied Wren The Canary Birds The Bull-finch The Gros-beak The Cross-bill Page 66 66 67 68 68 69 69 69 70 70 70 70 71 72 7^ The swallow. Page The Goat-sucker, or Nicht- SvvALLow - 75 The HousE-SwALLOW - 74 The Martin - 74 The Swift - 74 The humming BIRDS. Page Varieties - 76 WATER BIRDS. CRANES. The Crane b Page 81 The CO N T E N T S. The Stork Varieties The Ibis Variety The Jabiru The Nandafoa TheKAMicHi The Secretary The Cariama Crowned African Crane Numidian Crane Spoon-bill Flamingo The Heron Varieties The Open-bill The Bittern The Night-Raven The Savacou TheAvocETTA, Small Birds of the Crane Kind. Page Varieties - on. loo The Woodcock The Snipe The Combatant The Lapwing The Oyster-catcher The Turnstone The Water-Ouzel The Rails The Jacana The For PHY R ION The KiNG-FisHER 99« lOI I02 103 104 105 106 107 107 io8 Page Page 83 TheWATER-HEN lOQ 84 The Coot ' 110 84 «5 ^S Page 68 The Grebe III 86 Varieties ^1 The Anhinga 1X2 89 90 90 9i Pace The Pelican 1 12 The Cormorant The Albatross 115 116 Page Gulls and Petrels 117 117 The Frigate Bird 94 The Boobies 118 96 96 The Gannet 120 The Noddy 121 Sea-Swallows 121 97 98 98 Tropic Birds 122 The penguin KIND. Page The Magellanic Penguin 124 The Auk - 124 The Puffin - 124 The Diver - 125 Varieties - 12; ThQ Goqfander - 126 The goose KIND. Page The Swan The Goose Varieties 127 128 129 The CONTENTS. The Duck Varieties Page 1 29 1 ;o BIRDS that will not range under any of the foregoing divilions. The Ostrich The TouYou The Cassowary The DoDo Page ^35 Page TheF0RKED-T0NGUEDLlZARDI55 The Iguana TheBASiLisK The Galeote The Grey Lizard The Green Lizard The Cameleon The Wood-slaver The Gecko The Sefs The Chalcide The Dragon The Salamander The flat- tailed Salamander ^55 156 157 158 158 161 161 163 163 164 164 165 The three-fingered Salamander 167 SURVEYS OF NATURE. Part the Fifth. Oviparous Quadrupeds. Page The Tortoise Land Tortoife Frefh-water Tortoife Sea Tortoifes, or Turtle Trunk Turtle Loggerhead Turtle Hawkfbill Turtle Mediterranean Turtle 141 143 144 145 148 148 148 14S Lizards The Crocodile The Whip-Tail Oviparous Quadrupeds without Tails The Frog The Bull Frog Tree Frogs The Toad The brown Toad The Calamite The Pi pal Page 167 168 172 172 174 177 177 177 BIPED REPTILES. Page The Fluted - 178 The Sheltopusick - 179 ^""^^ Of SERPEN TS, p. 183 149 150 Their Diltindions - 186 154 Qi venomous Serpents - 187 b 2 Th, CONTENTS. The Viper The Viper of Egypt The Ammodytes The Cerastes The Naja The Yellow Serpent The Whip Snake, 6cc. The Snake The Black Snake The Ladies' Snake The Daboie The Boiguacu The Rattle Snake The Bund Worm The Amphisben^ Page 189 191 191 191 192 193 195 194 ^95 195 196 197 198 201 201 Of fishes Cetaceous Fishes The Whale The Narwhal The Cachalot The Dolphin, Grampus and Porpesse Page 203 208 209 214 215 - 217 CARTILAGINOUS FISHES, Page 218 The Shark The Ray kind Skate ^ay I^ough Ray Fire-i-lare Torpedo The Lamprey The Sturgeon 219 222 222 .223 213 224 224 225 225 Page FIuso - - 228 Anomalous Cartilaginous Fishes. The Mole The Fishing FrocJ The Lump Fish The Sea Snail The Pipe Fish The Hippocampus The Sea Orb Varieties The Galley 228 229 229 229 2^0 230 230 230 2qi .SPINOUS FISHES Page The Salmon The Eel The Cod The Haddock, Whiting, Mackarel Herring Pilchard Stickleback Dorado Flying Fish Pike 231 '34 236 23^ 238 238 2^8 SHELL FISH. The Lobster The Crab The hand Crab The Violet Crab The Soldter Crab Testaceous Fishes and their Shells Page 24''o 242 243 243 245 245 TuR. c o N T Page Turbinated Shells - 248 The Snail 248 Its Varieties 249 TheTRocHus 251 The Nautilus 251 BIVALVE SHELLS. Page The Mussel 253 The Oyster 254 The Scallop 255 The Razor Shell - 256 Pearls 156 MULTIVALVE SHELLS. Page The Sea Urchin - 257 Acorn, &c. - 257 Pholades - 238 PART THE SIXTH, INSECTS. WINGLESS INSECTS, Page 263 E N T S. The Gally Work£ The Spider Houfe Spider Garden Spider Water Spider Tarantula The Flea The Louse 264 265 266 267 268 268 269 The Leaf Loufe and Varieties 271 The Bug The Wood Louse The MoNcctTLus The ScoRPio-V The Scolopendra 272 273 274 274 Pagi ^77 CATERPILLARS, Sec, The S1LK.-W0RM The Bee The Humble Bee The W^ood Bee The Mafon Bee The Ground Bee The Leaf-cutting Bee The Wall Bee The Wasp The Solitary Wafp The Ichneumon Fly The Ant African Ants BEETLES, The May Bug 1 he Tumble Dung The Elephant Beetle The Glow Worm 6cc. 278 280 INSECTS which acquire WINGS. Page The Dragon Fly The Lion Ant , - The Grasshopper, Crickety Mole Cricket The Earwig ' - The Cuckow-Spit The W^ater Tipula Water Fly Water Scorpion The Ephemera 282 289 289 290 290 290 290 293 3^4 309 309 31G 310 310 310 3ii «^3 314 3' 5 317 31S 31S 3^9 319 320 the CONTENTS. The Cantharis The Kermes The Cochineal Gall Infeds The Gnat The TiPULA Page 320 321 321 322 322 322 WORMS and ZOOPHYTES. Page The Leech Worms The Star Fish The Cuttle Fish The Polypus LiTiiopHYTES and Sponge Eels in Pafie ^nimalcula 324 J27 528 328 334 Principles of Vegetation. Page Propagation Grafting Seeds 340 341 Seminal Root Roots Bark Trunk PFood Pith Leaves Flowers Fruit (a Pear) (a Lemon) Sap Nutriment Irritability Senfitive Plant Parafitical Plants Decayed Vegetables Vegetation in the Water Poijonous Plants Edible Fruits Grain Page 341 343 343 345 346 34^ 347 347 348 348 349 350 352 3S3 333 354 354 354 3S^ 357 Classes of Plants according to the Sexual Syftem. p. 358 Eight Plates to this Difcourfe. p. 359 to 363 , E R R A T A. Vol. II. Page 6, part 3, line 12, for find, r^aJ finds. Page 4 5, line 21, for fpecies, rcaJ kind. rage >, part 4, line 15, for quality, r^«^ faculty. Page 142, RunningTitle,/tfrCRusTACEous Fishes, rctf^T Oviparous Quadrupeds, J^age 193, l»ne 7, for fpeckled, r^^./ Ipcdacled. lage 286, line 17, for liagncroui, read dangerous. ^ ) SURVEYS OF NATURE, PART THE THIRD. IN confiderlng the inhabitants of the globe, we muft doubt- lefs place Man the firft, in rank, and coniequence, if we regard merely the animal part of his compofition, wherein, nevcrthelefs, in common with animals of all kinds, he is fubjeck to variations, arifing from local circumftauces, climate, manner of life, cuftoms, and nutriment ; thefe variations are not fo diftind, or indelible, as may induce us to difallow one common origin ; yet they are fufficiently flriking, to juftify particular notice. We proceed therefore to offer fuch remarks as occuf on this fubje£t, and fuch general information on the nature of animals, and their manners, as may juftify our principles. It fhould feem, that, according to the rank of creatures in the fcale of life, was their fubjedion to variation : thofe of the lower degrees changing mod from their priftine ftock, thofe of greatefl fecundity changing fomething at each generation, while creatures of greater bulk, longer life, or fuperior fa- culties, lefs affeded by thefe caufes, maintained a nearer refemblaace to the forms, manners, and properties of their parental origin. According to this idea we may expe£t plants to vary greatly from fimilar plants in their native cli- mates (efpeclally in their powers), Infedls, Reptiles, fmaller Part III. A. Quadrupeds, ( * ) Quadrupeds, and Birds; and this we find to be fa<5l, not only in external appearance, but alfo in internal conformation, though the latter is noticed only by the curious — for inftance, anirpals which with us have four flomachs, have in Africa only two ; the reafon we guefs to be, becaufe the African grafs is more fucculent, and fooner gives out its nutritive particles than ours, confequently requires lefs compreffion, and preparation, which is the office of thefe flomachs. In external form, very ftrange changes occur : fowls fent from Europe to Virginia^ quickly lofe their rumps, and by this lofs become as it were met amor phojed : nor need we go fo far for proofs ; it is well known, our bull- dogs degenerate on the con- tinent, and no art can maintain their race in perfection ; fo do our fheep. If in the fame latitudes this occurs, no wonder difference of latitude fhould have great efFedl : creatures which require an ardent fun mufl be very much enfeebled in nor- thern climates. This is happy for us ; efpecially, if it be true, that we have in our own country moft of thofe veno- mous infedts (if not the reptiles) which beneath the Equator are fo mifchievous, and deadly; but with us they are fo weak and diminutive, that they require the njicrofcope to afcertain them. Our fnakes are doubtlefs of the fame nature as equatorial ferpents, but of how different powers I how feeble their hifs ! how diminifhed their terrors ! Larger animals (as the horfe) preferve more of their native pro- perties, and manners, though they vary in fize and flrength i but no creature is capable of inhabiting the globe at large, o|.^occupying diftant and contradidlory climates, like man, ••-r. ';: '" ■•-*-"i' who JTiriefy aflheBwmmSpedef African { 3 ) tvho every where maintains his erect figure^ his cortimanding ^fped, and his dominion over all creatures around his habi- tation ; thofe he feledls for lervice he dorriefticates ; thofe he thafes fly before him, dreading his power, and expelled (mcJre or lefs) by his enmity. Even monfters of the deep, which in their profound recefTes might expert feciirity, even thefe yield to his arts, and, difturbed in their retreats, feek other ihoresj where to attain maturity. Thus the whale is ho longer of the amazing dimenfions he once was, or if he teach them, it is diftant frorh where the prow of navigation iliolefts his repofe. If then man be leaft fubjed to changes, yet we find in the human race confiderable varieties : we may juftly infer very great diverfity among animals of the fame tribe ; their refem- blances are lefs marked, and their approaches to other fpecies nearer and more frequent : we (hall however chifefly advert to the differences among mankind, and leave the inference to refledtion and good fen fc. We have fuggefted as the caufes of variety among the human fpecies, climate, manner of life, cuftoms, and nutri- ment; we conclude that thefe are the principal caufes of this variety, becaufe if thefe be changed the effe<^ changes alfo. Climate is not only, in general, hot or cold, molft or diy, but in fome places in the fame countries^ hotter or colder, moifter or drier, than in others; Upon mountains, in valleys, the a£lion of the fun differs ; confequently heat differs alfo. Around lakes and marlhes, by the fides of great rivers, we exped fuperabundant humidity, more watery air is breathed (adting ( 4 ) (ading internally), or afFedts the fkin, the hair, &c. (ading externally) ; mineral particles alfo impregnate the air, and have confequent influence not only on health, but on appear- ance.— This caufe might be traced ad infinitum. Manners of life vary fo greatly among mankind, that much mud be attributed to them. Cleanlinefs permits free perfpiration, and a clear fkin; upon this Europeans value them- felves ; while Hottentots clothe themfelves i:i greafe, and of tawny make foot-black complexions. Thofe always in fmoke muft needs be fmoke-dried, thofe always fedentary feeble and inaclive, thofe always fcorched by the fun fhrivelled, thofe expofed to the feafons weather-beaten ; thefe efFeds are fo evident in the various clalTes of people which compofe our own nation, that little imagination is necefTary, to allow their full force among thofe tribes of mankind whofe days are pafTed in conftant fubjedion to any one of them. Customs and manners follow clofely on modes of life : what was at fii'ft arbitrary becomes at length national, wha% has been efteemed a beauty determines the wi(hes of all, and by degrees their features ; the power of imagination is not eafily calculated. Religious rites, tyrannical impofition, local difeafes, conftant depreflion of mind, fuperftition (which is always gloomy) and other habitual manners, greatly influence the exprcflijn of the countenance. Food, above all, is the caufe of variety, by its quantity or Its quality. If little and ill fupplied, can it afford nutriment adequate to the confumption of the body ? Can it fill the parts, and furnilh throughout the whole, thofe juices requifite 3 ^^ ( s ) to general iricreafe ? If now enjoyed in abundance, is there no danger of indifpofition by repletion ? If now withheld, is not weaknefs and debility likely to enfue r The quality of food ' is confefledly ditFerent, as well animal as vegetable : if coarfe and refufe, or in good condition ; if juicy, or dry in its nature^ if frefh, or prefervcd by artificial means, fait, or fmoke, cor- refpondent effects on thofe who live on it may naturally be cxpeded. And to this mull be added, the veiy great variety of iiquorSj fermented or limple, water, milk, beer, wine, fap of trees, fpirits from corn, rice^ vinous fermentations, and what anfwers the fame end, opium. Thefe are many of them' daily noticed by us, and from what we actually fee, we may readily conclude their influence elfewhere* Thefe caufes branch out into almoft innumerable effefls j and vary in the fame kingdom, or country. To trace them further is rather the province of the Geographer than thd Naturalift ; though it muft be owned that whatever concern^ our race, interefts fomething in us luperior to curiofity. What was the original colour of mankind, has long divided the learned. Upon the whole, I acquiefce in the opinion that the lighter Afiatics are the neareft to it ; for in our owit country, which ftands firft in fairnefs of complexion, the tints of thole among us expofed to the air, &c. are little different trom many Afiatics. That cxpofure to air is our natural ftate, I am perfuaded : and thus circumftanced, the cleared fkin' acquires a tint o( brunette. The deviation of colour has been toward fairnefs in Europe,-^towards blacknels in Africa. Not but that the upper fkin of a Negro is colourlefs as our own ; ( 4 ) (ading internally), or afFeds the fkin, the hair, &c. (ading externally) ; mineral particles alfo impregnate the air, and have conkquent influence not only on health, but on appear- ance.— This caufe might be traced ad infinitum. Manners of life vary fo greatly among mankind, that much mull be attributed to them. Cleanlinefs permits free perfpiration, and a clear fkin; upon this Europeans value them- felves ; while Hottentots clothe themfelves in greafe, and of tawny make foot-black complexions, Thofe always in fmoke muft needs be fmoke-dried, thofe always fedentary feeble and inatlive, thofe always fcorched by the fun fhrivelled, thofe expofed to the feafons weather-beaten ; thefe efFedts are fo evident in the various clafles of people which compofe our own nation, that little imagination is neceflary, to allow their full force among thofe tribes of mankind whofe da^s are paiTed in conflant fubjedion to any one of them. Customs and manners follow clofely on modes of life : what was at fii^fl arbitrary becomes at length national, wha% has been efteemed a beauty determines the wlfhes of all, and by degrees their features ; the power of imagination is not eafily calculated. Religious rites, tyrannical impofition, local difeafes, conftant depreflion of mind, fuperflition (which is always gloomy) and other habitual manners, greatly influence the exprcfHjn of the countenance. Food, above all, is the caufe of variety, by its quantity or its quality. If little and ill fupplied, can it afford nutriment adequate to the confumption of the body ? Can it fill the parts, and furnilh throughoyt the whole, thofe juices requifite 3 ' ^o ( s ) to general iricreafe ? If now enjoyed in abundance, is there no dano-er of indlfpofitlon by repletion ? If now withheld, isf not weaknefs and debility likely to enfue ? The quality of food ' is confefTedly different, as well aninial as vegetable : if coarfe . and refufe, or in good condition ; if juicy, or dry in its nature j if frefli, or preferved by artificial means, fait, or fmoke, cor- refpondent effecls on thofe who live on it may naturally be expelled. And to this mull: be added, the very great variety of liquorSj fermented or (imple, water, milk, beer, wirie, fapi of trees, fpirits from corn, rice, vinOus fermentations, and what anfwers the fame end, opium. Thefe are many of them' daily noticed by us, and from what we actually fee, we may readily conclude their influence elfewhere* Thefe caufes branch out into almofl: innumerable eftecls j and vary in the fame kingdom, or country. To trace them further is rather the province of the Geographer than thd Naturalift ; though it muft be owned that whatever concern^ our race, interefls fomething in us fuperior tp curiofity. What was the original colour of mankind, has long divided the learned. Upon the whole, I acquiefee in the opinion that the lighter Afiatics are the nearefk to it ; for in our owit country, which ftands firft in fairnefs of complexion, the tints of thofe among us expofed to the air, &c. are little different from many Afiatics. That expofure to air is our natural ftate, I am perfuaded : and thus circumflanced, the cleareft /kiii acquires a tint oi brunette. The deviation of colour has been toward fairnefs in Europe,-^towards blacknefs in Africa. Not but that the upper fkin of a Negro is colourlefs as our own ; * ■ '^te ' ( 6 ) own : the feat of blacknefs is faid to be the reticular^ mem- brane, between the fkuis; and this tuit probably arifes from fome fecretion thrown more plentifully on that part by the heat of the country, and coloured by heat, by exhalations from mi- nerals and vegetables, and by vapours of various kinds, not omitting the dry and fultry winds of Africa. We conclude thefe intradAKSuar^y remarks, by obferving the wifdom evident in difpofing each nation of men to think highly of their own country, notwithftanding the inconve- iiiencies apparent to ftrangers. The African enjqys his heat, the Laplander his cold, the Aiiatic his indolence, the European his acSlivity. Each find a fomething peculiarly agreeable in his native climate, and is condemned by his own mouth if ungrateful to the univerfal Benefactor: nor is it lefs proper that each fhould admire his national complexion, fhould depidt beauty as charming black, and feel the fhafts of love ihot from delightful jet ; or engage rofes and lilies in feeble comparifon with the obje£t of admiration, and defcribe her complexion as whiter than fnow. Were it otherwife, and that our native land difpleafed us, we fhould feek foreign fliores, and encounter thoufands of ufelefs perils, and un- profitable difficulties : we fhould mingle, without benefit, the tawny with the fair, the light with the dulky, the white with the black, which though it may be done, and thereby proves the common nature and common origin of mankind, yet feems to promife little happinefs and comfort, little pleafure and folace, little domeflic fatisfadion, and perfonal enjoyment : without which, what is climate, complexion, manners, or even life itfelf ! Laplander. VARIETIES OF THE HUMAN SPECIES. THERE feem to be about fix varieties in the human fpecles, each flrongly marked, and indicating little mixture. The firfl around the polar regions. The Laplanders, the Efquimaux Indians, the Samoeid Tartars, the inhabitants of Nova Zembla, the Borandians, the Greenlanders, and Kamfkatkadalcs, may be confidered as one race of people, refembling each other in rtature, complexion, and cudoms. Under a rigorous climate, of few prcdu6tions, and coarfc provifions and fcanty, their bodies have been ftinted, and their com- plexions changed, by cold, to a deep brown, often inclining to blacknefs. Thtrfe people, in general, are of fhort ftature, and odd Ihape, with countenances lavage, and manners barbarous. Their vifage is large and broad, the nofe flat and fhort, the eyes yellowifh brown inclining to biAck, the eye-lids drawn toward the temples, the cheek- bones extremdy high, the mouth very large, the lips thick and turned outwards, the voice thin and fqueaking, the head large, the hair black and ftraight, th^ colour of the fkin dark greyifli. The generality are about four feet high, the talleft five. The women refemble the men fo nearly that one cannot, at firft, diftinguifh the fexes.. Stupidity, fuperflition, and cowardice, belong equally to thefe people : yet they are dexterous in fkaiting, in conftruding their fledges, wherein they are drawn over the fnow, in the ufe of the bow, and the dart, in the management of their rein-deer; and thofe near the coafl", in fifliing. They have few wants, wliich they eafiiy fupply, and Linnaus fays they have more content and enjoyment than nations which efteem them bar- "barous i and which in return they do not hef::ate to contemn as ill-bred and unpolite. No. 21. B The 2 VARIETIES OF THE They arc all hunters, and purfue'the ermine, the fox, the ounce, and the martin, for their fkins. Thefe they barter, with their fouthern neighbours, for brandy and tobacco ; of both which they are fond to excefs. Their food is principally dried fifh, ■ the flefli of rein-deer and of bears. Their bread is bones of fifties pounded, mixed with the inner bark of the pine tree. Their drink is train-oil, or brandy; when de- prived of theie, water, in which juniper berries have been infufed. The fecond great variety, in the human fpecies, is the Tartar race ; whofe country comprehends great part of Afia ; confequently, includes a number of nations, of various forms and complexions. But, how- ever different from each other, they agree in being unlike any other people. Thefe have the upper part of the vifage very broad, and wrinkled even in youth ; their nofes fhort and flat, their eyes little and funk in their heads; in fome of them, five or fix finches afunder j their cheek-bones high, the lower part of the vifage narrow, the chin long and prominent, their teeth large and apart, their eye-brows thick, and hanging, their eye-lids thick, the face broad and flat, the com- plexion olive, and hair black. They are of a middle fize, extremely ftrong and robufl:. They have little beard, fl:raggling on the chin. They have large thighs, and fhort legs. The ugliefl are the Calmoucks, whofe appearance is frightful. They lead an erratic life, dwelling in tents of hair, or fkins. They live upon flefli of horfes or camels, raw, or fodden between the horfe and the faddlej alfo fifli dried in the fun. Their ufual drink is mare's milk, fermented with millet ground into meal. They fliave the head, except a lock of hair, on the top, which they form into trefiTes, on each fide the face. The womien, counter- parts to the men, wear their hair, which they ornament with bits of copper and other finery. Irreligious, immoral, indecent, diflionefl:, and filthy, for the mofl: part characterizes thefe nations : yet among them are exceptions : but all are dexterous at plunder, traffic in flaves, can endure great hardlhips, and travel long without refl: : are very fond of horfes, and expert in their management : receive from this animal clothing and food. To this race is referred the Chinefe and the Japanefe, however diff'er- cnt they feem. The Chinefe have broad faces, fmall eyes, flat nofes, and fcarce any beard ; are broad and fquare-fhouldered, and rather lefs in ftature than Europeans. Thefe are marks common to them and the Tartars. 1 The Jarie^' efdie^uman Specie Chinefe --=r. ->3::=^-f':^j«M The Japanefe refemble the Chinefe, and rank in the fame clafs. They differ in being rather browner, as they inhabit a more fouthern climate. A third variety in the human fpecies, is the fouthern Afiatics. The nations of the Peninfular India, feem to be the ftock whence the iflands fcattered in the Indian ocean, have been peopled. They are, in general, of a (lender (hape, with long ftraight black hair, and often Roman nofes. Thus they refemble Europeans in ftature and features ; but greatly differ in colour, and habit of body. The Indians are of an olive colour, in the more fouthern parts, quite black j the women are extremely delicate. The Indians are cowardly and effeminate ; the warmth of their climate influences their manners ; flothful, fubmiflive, luxurious ; fatisfied with fenfual happinefs without mental pleafure ; con- tented with (lavery, they readily obey any mafter. Many tribes among them eat nothing that has life ; but are fearful of killing the meanelt infedt. To this clafs we may reter the Perfians and Arabians. The fourth variety in the human fpecies, is the- Negroes, which blacken the fouthern parts of Africa, from i8 degrees north to the Cape of Good Hope. The Caffres, indeed, who inhabit the fouthern extremity of that large continent, differ fomewhat in colour and features, but may be grouped together. Negro nations alfo differ : peculiar countries, as in Europe, pride themfelves on their beauty. Thofe of Guinea are ugly, and of ill fccnt; thofe of Mofambique are reckoned beautiful, and have no ill fmell. Negroes, in general, are of a black colour, with a fofc fmooth Ikin, proceeding from the downy foftnefs of the hair growing on it. The hair of their heads is foft, woolly, and fhort. The beard, alfo, partakes of the fame qualities ; but foon turns grey, which the hair rarely does ; fo that white beards, and black hair occur together. Their eyes are generally a deep hazle ; their nofes flat and lliort ; their lips thick and tumid j their teeth of ivory whitenefs. The climate feems alfo to relax their mental powers; they are, in general, ftupid, indolent, and m.ifchievous.x The many colonies of Arabians who migrated fouth into Africa, have become fcarce diflinguifhable from the original natives. As alfo the Portuguefe, who, about two cen- turies ago, lettled along this coaft, are become almoft as black as the Negroes, and equally barbarous. A fifth race, different in colour, as diftinfl in habitation, is the na- tives of America (except in the northern extremity, where they refemble the Laplanders) : thefe are of a red or copper colour ; nearly all of one colour; have black, thick, ftrait hair; and thin black beards; which they B 2 pluck 4 OF THE HUMAN SPECIES. pluck out by the roots. They have, in general, flat nofes, high cheek- bones, and fmall eyes ; and thefe deformities they increafe by art. They paint the body and face of various colours, and confider hair, except upon the head, as a deformity to be eradicated. Their limbs are generally flighter tiian thofe of Europeans. Their frequent wants make them furprifingly patient j diftrefs by familiarity becomes lefs terrible j they poffefs rather apathy than fortitude. They have a ferious air, but feldom think ; are improvident ; but though indolent, capable of great exertions. They live by the chace ; are cruel to their enemies, buc kind and juft to each other. The fixth variety of the human fpecies, is the Europeans, and border- ing nations, including the Georgians, CircafTians, and Mingrelians, the inhabitants of Afia Minor, and the northern parts of Africa, with part of the countries north-weil of the Cafpian fea. Thefe differ much, but generally agree in the colour of their bodies, their complexions, their largenefs oflimbs, and vigour of undcrilanding. It is natural to fuppofe, that fome intermixtures muft have taken place, even among the moft fecluded nations ; vifitants, whether friends or foes ; fome traffic, though but little, and fome removes, though feldom, miuft have had their efFedt. Hence mixtures, and hence thofe lelTer branches, which poffefs not folely the liUenefs of any unmingled race. THE ( 5 ) (QUADRUPEDS. THE H O R S. E. OF all quadrupeds, the horfe is moft beautiful ; his noble form, his glolfy imoothnefs of iT^in, his graceful eafe of motion, and exadt fymmetry of fhape, have induced us to regard him as the firft of animals, and as the moft perfectly formed ; yet, his internal ftru6lure differs more from the human than that of all other quadrupeds. The horfe, like other animals, is naturally wild, and domefticated by the art of manj his enemies of the foreft are but few, none but the greater kinds will venture to attack him ; thcfe he is able to over- come fingly, but is content to find fafety in fociety ; wild horfes herding together, often in droves of five or fix hundred. As they are never attacked but at a difadvantage, when they fleep in the forefts, one am^ong their number ftands as centinel, and this office they take by turns. If a man approaches them while feeding by day, the centinel walks boldly near him, as if to examine, or to intimidate him ; as the man approaches within piftol fhot, the centinel alarms his fellows, by a loud kind of fnorting, upon which all fly off with the fpeed of the wind ; their faithful centinel bringing up the rear. They will not admit of fl:range animals among them, even of their own kind. If a tame horfe attempts to affociate with them, they foon oblige him to feek fafety by flight. Arabia produces the moft beautiful breed of native horfes, the moft generous, fwift and perfevering. They are found wild, though not in great numbers, in the defarts of that country ; and the natives ufe every Itratagem to take them. They are aftive and beautiful, yet not fo large as thofe bred up tame ; are of a brown colour j their mane and tail verv fhort, and the hair black and tufted. Their fwiftnefs is incredible ; to purfue them with dogs is fruitlefs. By their rapid flight, they are inftantly out of view, and dogs themfelvcs give up the purfuit. They are taken by traps, hidden in the fand, which entangle their feet. If the horfe thus caught be young, he is confidered as a great delicacy, and affords a feaft ; but if he promifes to be fcrviceable in his nobler capacity, he is tamed by the ufual methods, fatigue and hunger, and foon becomes an ufeful domeftic. The 6 QJ3 A D R U P E D S. The manner of trying their fpeed is by hunting the oflrich : tlie horfe is the only aninnal whofe rapidity equals that of this creature, which inhabits the Tandy plains of thofc countries. When the oflrich perceives itfclf aimed at, it makes to the mountains, while the horfeman purfuing with all poffible fwifcnefs, endeavours to cut off its retreat. The chace then continues along the plain, the oftrich ufmg both legs and wings to afTift its motion j only a horfe of the firft fpeed is able to outrun it: and if, in a trial of this kind, he is not readily tired, his price becomes pro- portionably great ; lome horfes are valued at a thoufand ducats. Horles thus caught, or thus trained, are at prcfent rare. The Arabians preferve pedigrees of their horfes with great care, for ages. They know their alliances and genealogies j they didinguiOi their races by different names, and divide them into three clafTes. I. The nobles, the ancient breed, unadulterated on either fide. II. The horfes of the ancient race, but adalteratcd. III. Thofe common and inferior. They know, by experience, the race of a horfe by his appear- ance; and can tell the name, the furname, the colour, and the marks properly belonging to each. The moft ordinary mare of the firft race fells for 500 crowns j many for 1000, and fome for 14 or 1500I. As the Arabians live in tents, they alfo ferve them for itables j fo that the mare, the foal, ^the hufband, the wife, the chiidrenj lie together in- difcriminately ; the little children arc often altride on the body, or neck of the mare, which permits their carefles without injury. The Arabians never beat their horfes, but treat them gently j fpeak to them, and feem to difcourfe with them as friends ; never attempt to increafe their fpeed by the whip, or fpur them but in cafes of necefiity. When thus urged, they fet off with amazing fwiftnefs ; they leap over obflaclcs wl ch as much agility as a buck; and, if the rider happens to fail, are fo manageable, that they ftand ftill in the midft of their moft rapid career. The Arabian horfes are of a middle fize, eafy in their motions, and rather inclined to leannefs than fat. They eat nothing during the day ; only drink once or twice; at fun- fet a bag is hung to their head, containing about half a buftiel of clean barley, which they eat during night. When the fpring is paft, they are taken from pafture, and barley is their only food during the reft of the year, except now and then a little ftraw. They are. always kept ready faddled at the tent doOr from morning till fun-fer, in order to be prepared againft furprife. From Arabia the moft generous race of horfes has been tranfmitted to many parts of the world, to Egypt, to Barbary among the Moors, and T H E A S S. 7 and from them into moft parts of Africa. Europe alfo, and even America, highly prize Arabian horfes. America had not originally this noble animal ; but now has plenty, noc only domeftic, but wiM alfo. At this time, ajmoft all nations have their rcfpeclive breeds of horfes, and according to their foil, climate, or management, the animal improves or degenerates. By great afliduity, application, and management in their breeding, Englifh horfes are now fuperior to all others for fize, ftrength, fwiftnefs, and beauty. By judicious mixture of foreign original kinds, the happy difference of our foils, and our fuperior fkiil, we have brought this animal to its highcft perfedlion. An Englifh horfe excels the Arabian, in fize and fwiftnefs j is more durable than the Barb, and more hardy than the Perfian. Our racers go at the rate of a mile in two minutes : and we had one inflance, in the admirable Childers, of flill greater rapidity. He has been frequently known to move above eighty-two feet and a half in a fecond, or alnioft a mile in a minute : and he has run round the courfe of Newmarket, which is little lefs than four miles, in fix minutes and forty feconds. THE ASS. THE horfe and the afs, though nearly approaching in form, are of diflin<5l kinds, and of different natures : were there but one of each kind, both races would probably be extinguifhed. Their fhapes and habits may refemble ; but there is fomething in every animal, befide conformation, or way of life, that determines its fpecitic nature. The onager, or wild afs, abounds more than the wild horfe ; and the peculiarities of its kind are more diflinctly marked than among the tame. Had it been a horfe degenerated, or were a horfe an afs im- proved, the wild animals of both kinds would refemble each other," much more than thofe doraefticatcd, on whom art has long been em- ployed in producing new habits and alterations. The contrary however obtain », and the wild afs is even more cfinine, than that bred in fcrvitude j and has a natural averfion to the horfe. This animal is found wild in many iflands of the Archipelago, particularly in that of Cerigo : alfo in the defarts of Lybia and No. 21. C , Nunnidia: ■8 Q^,U ADRUPEDS. Numidia : they run wich fuch amazing fwiftnefs, fcarce even the courfeis of the country can overtake them. When they fee a man, they fet up a horrid braying, and flop fhort all together, till he approaches near them ; then fly off with great fpeed ; and on fuch occafi,)ns generally fall into traps which are previoufly prepared. The narives take them chiefly on account of their flcfh, which they efteem delicious eating j and for their fldns, of which that kind of lea'her is made which is called fhagreen. The afs was originally imported into America by the Spaniards. That country feems to have been peculiarly favourable to this race of animals; and, where they have run wild, they have multiplied in fuch numbers, that in fome places they are becomic a nuifance. They have the fwiftnefs of horfes ; neither declivities nor precipices retard their career. Vv'hen attacked, they defend themlelves with their heels and mouth with fuch adivity, that, without flackening their pace, they often maim their purfuers. But the moil remarkable pro- perty in thcfe creatures is, that after carrying their firft load, their celerity leaves them, their dangerous ferocity is left, and they foon contrafl the ftupid look and dulnefs peculiar to their fpecies. It is alfo obfervable, that thefe creatures will not permit a horfe to live among them. They always feed together j and if a horfe happens to ftray where they graze, without giving him the liberty of flying, they bite and kick him till they leave him dead on the fpot. But the afs, in a ftate of tamenefs, is the moft gentle and quiet of anim.als. He fufi^ers, without refiftance, the ill treatment of his owners : he is temperate with regard to the quantity and quality of his provif^on i and makes his humble repaft on what the horfe and other animals leave behind : he prefers the plantane among herbs ; is delicate with refpedt to his water ; drinks only at the cleareft brooks, and chiefly thofe to which he has been accuftomed. He drinks as foberly as he eats J and never, like the horfe, dips his .iofe into th« ftream : he never rolls, like the horfe, in the mud ; he even fears to wet his fccr ; and turns out of his way to avoid dirt. When over-loaded, the afs hangs down his head, and lowers his cars ; when too hard prefled, opens his mouth, and draws back his lips in a very difagreeable manner. If his eyes are covered he will not ftir a ftep j if he is laid down in fuch a manner that one eye is covered with the grafs while the other is hidden with a ftone, or what- ever is next at hand, he continues in the fame fituacion, and will not ^ attempt T H E A S S. 9 attempt to rife to free himfelf from thofe flight impediments. He walks, trots, and gallops like a horfc i but though he fcts out very freely at firft, yet is foon tired i and no beating will make him mend his pace. We have good reafons to believe that, were the fame care bellowed on the afs as on the horfe, and the fame induftry ufed in crofTing the breed and improving it, we (hould fee the als become from his prefenc mean ftate, a very portly and ferviceable animal ; we fhould find him rival the horfe in fonieof his perfcftions, and exceed him in others. The afs, bulk for bulk, is flronger than the horfe; is more fure- footed ; and, though flov/er in his motions, is much iefs apt to flart out of the way. Though now common in England, the afs was loft among us during the reign of Queen Elizabeth. Holingfhed informs us that our land did yield no affes : but we have accounts of their being frequent in England before that time. In Sweden and the north, they are a fort of rarity. The hotter climates are the original of this ferviceable creature. In Guinea, they are larger and more beautiful than their horfes. In Perfia, they have two kinds ; one ufed for burthens, being flow and heavy ; the other for the faddle, being fmooth, (lately, and nimble. They are managed as horfes, and they are taught to amble like them ; but the rider firs nearer the crupper. They generally cleave their noflrils to give them more room for breathing, and many of thefe are fold for forty or fifty pounds. Of all animals covered with hair, the afs is the lead fubjefl to vermin, for he has no lice, probably owing to the drynefs and hardnefs of his Ikin : he is three or four years in coming to perfe<5lion ; lives till twenty or twenty-five ; fleeps much Iefs than the horfe ; never lies down for that purpofe, unlefs very much tired. The flie-afs goes above eleven months with young ; never brings more than one at a time. The Mule may be engendered either between a horfe and a flic-afs, or between a jack-afs and a mare. The latter breed is larger, llronger, and better fliaped. The common mule is healthy, and will live above thirty years, being very ferviceable in carrying burthens, particularly in mountainous and ftony places, where horfes are not fo fure-footed. The mule is not totally and neceflarily barren : befide the authority of Ariftotle long ago, modern obfervation furnifhes fa<5ls in proof of this aflertion j but as the inftances are very rare, the mule may be confi- 3 C 2 dered 10 Q^U ADRUPEDS. dered as an animal generally barren, confequently, contrary to the order of nature, who has confined fertility within certain bounds, that inter- mixture of fpecies m'ght nor prevail, nor inftead of regular defcendants, broods of miihapen forms and mannei-s« THE ZEBRA IS chiefly a native of the fouthern parts of Africa ; whole herds of them feed in thofe extenfive plains that lie towards the Cape of Good Hope. By their watchfulnefs they fuffer nothing to come near them ; and by their fwiftnefs, they leave every purfuer far behind. The zebra^ in (hape, refembies the mule rather than the horfe, or the afs ; is rather lefs than the former, yen larger than the latter j its.jears not fo long as the afs, nor fo fmall as the horfe. Lils;e the afs, its head is large, its back ftraight, its legs finely placed, and its tail tufted at the endj like the horfe, its fkin is fmooth and clofe, its hind quarters round and flefhy. But the amazing regularity and elegance of its colours is its greateft beauty. In the male, they are white and brown j in the female, white and black, difpofed in alternate ftripes over the yhole body, like fo many ribbands, narrow, parallel, and exadlly fepa- rated from each other ; every ftripe is perfedly diftinft, and preferves its colour round the body (or the limbV without diminution. The head, body, thighs, legs, tail, and ears, are thus beautifully flreaked. The head of the male zebra is flriped with bands of black and white, which center in the forehead. The ears variegated with white and dufky brown. The neck has broad ftripes of the fame dark brown funning round it^ leaving narrow white ftripes between. The body is ftriped acrofs the back with broad bands, leaving narrower fpaces of white bctv^een them, ending in points at the fides of the belly, which is white, except a black line pedlinated on each fide, from between the fore-legs, along the middle of the belly, two thirds of its length. There is a line of feparation between the trunk of the body and the hinder quarters, on each fide ; behind which, on the rump, is a plat of narrow ftripe , joined together, by a ftripe down the middle, to the pnd of the tail. The colours differ in the female j the ftripes vary fometimes, but are always equally diftind j the hair equally fmooth ' ■' " and T H E Z E B R A. ii and fine ; the -white fhining and unmixed j and the blaclc, or brown, thick, and luftrous. Such is the beauty of this creature, by nature fecmingly fitted for the pleafure and fervicc of man. Hitherto, however, it has difdained fervitude, and neither force nor kindnefs has fubdued its native inde- pendence and ferocity. Yet probably this animal, by time and afli- duity, might be brought under fubjedion. As it rcfembles the horfe in form, without doubt it has a fimilitude of nature, and only requires the efforts of an induftrious and Ikilful nation, to be added to the num- ber of our domeftics. Nor is its extraordinary beauty the only morive for wifliing this animal among our dependents : its fwiftnefs is faid to furpafs that of all others j fo that the fpeed of a zebra is become a proverb among the Spaniards and Portuguefe. It (lands better upon its legs alfo than a horfe; and is confequently ftronger in proportion. The zebra is chiefly a native of the Cape of Good Hope. It is alfo found in the kingdom of Angola j and, as we are aiTured by Lopez, in feveral provinces alfo of Barbary. This animal, which is peculiar to Africa, is eafily fed. That which came over into England fome years ago, would eat almoft any thing, bread, meat, tobacco, or hay. As it fo nearly refembles the horfe and the afs in ftrufturc, it probably brings forth annually as they do. Their noife is neither like that of a horfe nor an afs, but more refembling the confufed barking of a maftiff dog. In fome the fkin hangs loofe upon the neck, in a kind of dewlap, which takes away much from their general beauty. 0 !■ r. ■:;.. ( ^^ ) I, L- O F RUMINATING ANIMALS, ANIMALS that chew the cud are mofl: harmlefs, and moft eafily tamed. As they live on vegetables, they feldom define to change their paftures, while furnifhed with a proper fupply of food ; and fearing nothing from each other, they generally go in herds for mutual fecurity. The fierceft of the carnivorous kinds feck their prey in folitude ; thefe, on the contrary, range together, and unite in mutual defence ; the hare itfelf is gregarious, in countries where it has no enemies but the beafts of the foreft. Ruminant animals feem naturally more indolent and lefs artful than the carnivorous ; their appetites more fimple, and their inftindts more confined. As it requires a tedious procefs to tranfmute grafs into flefh. Nature has, generally, furnilhed grafs-eaters with four fto- machs, through which the food fucceflively paffes, to undergo the proper feparations, I. The paunch, which receives the food after a flight chewing, II. The honeycomb, properly a continuation of the former. Thefe two, which are very capacious, the animal fills as fait as it can, then lies down to ruminate, which is a kind of vomiting without effort or pain. The food, by chewing a fecond time, is rendered more foft and moift, and at lad liquid enough to pafs into the third ftomach, where it undergoes ftill farther comminution. In this (Vof mach, called the manyfold, from the number of its leaves (all which promote digeftion), the grafs appears like boiled fpinage : in the fourth ftomach, it is completely macerated, and ready to be turned into chyle. The ftomach of ruminant animals is ftrong and mufcular, the ' more readily to ad on its contents i their inteftines fat, the better to preferve their warmth j and extended to a great length, fo as to ex- traft the whole nourilhment which their vegetable food fupplie^. The cow, the fheep, and the deer being furniftied with four ftomachs, may properly be called the ruminant kinds i though many others have T H E C O W. i3 have this quality in a fmall degree. Among animals, the rhinoceros,- camel, horfe, rabbit, marmotte, and fquirrel. Among birds, the pelican, ttork, heron, pigeon, and turtle, have a power of di'gorging their food (chiefly to feed their young). Among fifhes, lobfters, crabs, and one or two others. Among infedts, the mole, cricket, wafp, drone, bee, grafliopper, and beetle. All thefe animals either actually or Jeemingly chew the cud. Their ftomachs are compofed of muf- cular fibres, by means whereof their food is ground up and down, in the fame manner as in thofe diftinguifhed by the appellation of ruminants. o F T H E COW KIND. OF all ruminant animals, thofe of the cow kind deferve the firft rank, for their fize, their beauty, and their fervices. The climate and pafture of Great Britain are exccllentlv adapted to this animal's moderate nature ; our verdant and fertile plains perfe6tly fuit its manner of feeding ; for wanting the upper fore teeth, it loves to graze in a high rich pafture, little regarding the quality of its food, if fupplied in abundance. In no part of Europe the tame animal grows larger, yields more milk, or more readily fattens, than with us. Our paftures fupply them with plenty ; they in return enrich the pafture ; for of all animals, the cow feems to give back more than it takes from the foil. This animal is furniftied with eight cutting teeth in the lower jaw ; at the age of ten months, the two middlemoft fall out, and arc replaced by others not fo white, but broader j at fixteen months, the two next milk-v/hite teeth fall out, and others appear : thus changing every fix months, till all the cutting teeth are renewed, which then are long, pretty white and equal ; but as the animal ad- vances in years, they become irregular and black, their inequalities fmoother, and the animal lefs capable of chewing its food. The cow often declines from this caufe; for, being obliged to eat a great deal to fupport life, the fmoothnefs of its teeth renders chewing difficult, and the quantity chewed inadequate to fupply the ftomach. No. 21. D At 14 CLU ADRUPEDS* At three years old, the cow fheds its horns, and new ones arife,- which are permanent ; at four years of age^ the cow has fmall pointed neat fmooth horns, thickeft near the head j at five they become larger, and are marked round with the former year's growth ; and every year produces a new ring at the root ; fo that allowing three years before their appearance, and adding the number of rings, we have the animal's age. Some cows have horns, others have none j this feems a kind of caprice of nature, for which we can aflign no rcafon. Of all quadrupeds, the cow feems mod liable to alteration from its pafture. In our own country, we perceive great varieties, pro-^ duced by the variation of foil* In fome they grow very large ; in others, they are very diminutive. The breed of the Ifle of Man> and moft parts of Scotland, is much lefs than that of England or Ireland. The cow kind is found in moft parts of the world, large or fmall in proportion to the richnefs of the pafture. Africa is remarkable for the largeft and the fmalleft cattle of this kind ; as is India, alfo, Poland, Switzerland, and feveral other parts of Europe. Among the Eiuth Tartars, where the paftures are remarkably rich, the cow be- comes fo large, that he muft be a tall man who can reach the tip of its fhoulder. Almoft every where the cow is found in fome of its varieties ; large, like the urus, or humped as the bifon ; with ftrait horns, or bending, inverted backwards, or turning fideways to the cheek, like thofe of the ram 3 and, in many countries, without horns, as in Iceland. The cattle of the Ukraine, where the pafture is excel- lent, become very fat, and are confidered as one of the largeft breeds of Europe. In Switzerland, among the mountains, are large; in France fmall j very fmall in Barbary, The famous bulls of Spain are by no means comparable to our own ; nor is a Spanifti bull fight worthy the applaufe beftowed on it by their writers, requiring no great bravery, and little more addrefs, than to take advantage of the bull's mlftaking the cloak for th6 cavalier, and of his ftiutting his eyes (as this animal is faid to do) before he ftrikes with his horns. But the differences in fize of this animal are not fo remarkable as thofe of its form, its hair, and its horns. Thcfe are fo very extraor- dinary, that rhey have been confidered as conftituting different crea- tures, and names have diftinguiflied what in reality is the fame. The urus and the bifon have been regarded, from the variety in their make, § as T H E C O W. IS is diftind in their produdion ; but they have a certain mark of one common ftock j they breed among each other, and confequently form one kind, notwithftanding the extreme bulk of the urus, or the hump on the back of the bifon ; their breed is fruitful, and among their defcendants, the hump belonging to the bifon is foon worn away. The Urus, or wild bull, inhabits chiefly the province of Lithuania ; and grows to a fize fcarce equalled, except by the elephant j is quite black, except a ftripe mixed with white, that runs from the neck to the tail, along the top of the back ; the horns are fliort, thick and ftrong ; the eyes fierce and fiery ; on the forehead is a kind of garland of black curled hair, and fome have beards of the fame ; the neck is lliort and ftrong, and the (kin has an odour of mufk. The female, though lefs than the male, exceeds the iargeftofour bulls; neverthelefs, her udder and teats are (o fmall, that they can fcarcely be perceived. Upon the whole, however, this animal refemblcs the tame one. Ge/ner, in his Icon. Jnim. 34, fays he faw a horn, he fuppofed, of an urus, hung in the Strafburg cathedral, which was fix feet long. The Bison differs in having a lump between its fhoulders. Thefe animals are fom.e very large, others diminutively little. This creature, in front, has fomewhat the look of a lion, a long ftiaggy mane, a beard under his chin j his head little, his eyes red and fiery, with a furious look ; his forehead large, and horns fo big, and fo far afunder, that three men might often fit between them. On the middle of the back grows a bunch almoft as high as that of a camel, covered with hair, and which is confidered as a great delicacy by the hunters. There is no purfuing him with fafety, except in forefts where are trees large enough to hide the men. He is generally taken by pitfals ; the hunters dig holes in the ground, and covering them with boughs of trees and grafs, provoke the bifon to purfue them : they get on the oppofice fide of the pitfall, while the furious animal, running head foremoft, falls into the pit, and is quickly overcome. The breed of the urus, or thofe without a hump, chiefly occupies the cold and temperate zones ; the breed of the bifon, or thofe with a hump, the Ibuthern parts of the world ; throughout India, and throughout Africa, from Mount Atlas to the Cape of Good Hope. In thefe countries, the bifon feems to prevail j where they have fmooth, foft hair, are very nimble of foot, and in fome meafure fupply the "Want of horfes. The bifon breed is expert and docile j many of them D 2 bend t6 Q^U ADRUPPDS. bend their, knees to take up, or fet down burthens; and are treated by their mafters with much tendernefs and care, which in India has de-. generated into fuperftition, Thefe animals are, among the Hottentots, chiefly efteemed, The bull is at once their proteftor and fervant, attends the flocks, guards them, herds in the fliraying flieep, and fhews no mercy to robbers, or even ftrangers, who attempt to plunder. Thefe backeleys (as they are called) are taught to combat even the enemies of the kraal. Every Hottentot army is furnifhed with a herd of them, which is let loofe againfb the enemy. The backeley lives in* the fame hut with its mafher, and, by habit, gains an aff'eftion for him. When a backeley dies, a fucceflbr is chofen by a council of the old men of the kraal j he is then joined with a veteran of his own kind, from whom he learns his art, becoms focial and diligent, and is taken for life into human friendlhip and prote6lion. The humps of the bifons are of different fizes, fome weighing from forty to fifty pounds, others lefs ; it is not to be confidered as a part indifpenfable to the animal ; it refembles a griftly fat ; and is faid to cut and tafte fom.ewhat like udder. The American bifon is rather lefs than that of the ancient continent ; its hair is longer and thicker, its beard more remarkable, and its hide more luftrous and foft. They breed with the tame kinds, brought from Europe j and thus produce a race peculiar to that country. The cow kind feems an ancient inmate in every climate, domcfl:ic and tame in civilized countries, favage and wild in wild countries, but capable of being ufeful in all : able naturally to defend itfelf againfl: every enemy of the forefl:; and only fubordinate to man : taken from the dam in a favage ftate, either in Africa or Afia, foon becomes humble, patient and familiar; and man may be confidered, in thofc countries, as almoft helplef^ without their afllltance. THE BUFFALO, IF we compare the buffalo with our common cow, no two animals can be more alike, either in form or nature ; equally fub- miflive to the yoke, often living under the fame roof, employed in the fame domeftic fervices; the make and turn of their bodies greatly alike, yet no two animals can be aiore diltindt. Such is the fixed averfion between THEBUFFALa jy between thefe creatures, that the cow refufes to breed with the buffalo, while it is known to propagate with the bifon, to which it has, in point of form, but very diftant fimilitude. The buffalo is by no means fo beautiful as the cow; his figure is* more clumfy and aukward j his air wilder ; and he carries his head lower and nearer the ground j his limbs are lefs flediy, his tail more naked of hair j his body fhorter and thicker j his legs higher; his head fmaller ; his horns fometimes ten feet long, not fo rounds but black and comprefTed, with a bunch of curled hair hanging down between them; his flcin is alfo.harder, thicker, blacker, lefs furnifhed with hair; his flefli is hard, blackifh, difagreeable to the tafte and fmell. The milk of the female much inferior to that of the Cow, but abundant. In the warm countries, cheefe and butter are made of buffalo milk. The leather made of its hide is well known for its thicknefs, foftnefs, and im- penetrability. Being, in general, very much larger and ffronger than thd cow, the buffalo is employed in agriculture ; ufed alfo in drawing bur- thens ; fometimes in carrying them ; being guided by a ring thruft through the nofe* Two buffaloes yoked in a waggon are faid to draw more than four ftrong horfes ; as their heads and necks are naturally bent downward, they are better fitted for the draught, and the whole weight of their bodies is applied to the carriage. Wild buffaloes are very dangerous animals, often gore travellers^ and trample them with their feet, until they have mangled the whole body : in woods not equally to be feared as in plains, becaufe in pur* fuit, their large horns become entangled in the branches, which gives time to efcape. There is fcarce any other method of avoiding their purfuit ; they run with great fwiftnefs ; overturn a tree of moderate growth ; and are fuch fwimmers, as to crofs the largeft rivers without difficulty. Like all large animals of the torrid zone, they are very fond of the water ; and, during their purfuit, often plunge in to cool themfelves. In Italy, they make the food and riches of the poor. The female produces but one at a time, in the fame manner as the cowj but the cow, as we know, goes nine months ; whereas the buffalo continues pregnant twelve. They are afraid of fire; and, perhaps, in confe- quencc, have an averfion to red colours, that rcfemble the colour of flame : it is faid, that in thofe countries where they are found in plenty, DO perfon dares to drt(i in fcarlcr, Thefc i8 Q_U ADRUPEDS. Thefe are regarded as the only real varieties of the cow kind ; others have been fuppofed by naturalifts to (o many as eight or ten fpecies j but after proper allowances for climate, pafture, &c. there feems no need to confider others, as permanently or eflentially different. Some are faid to grunt like a hog, others to fmell of mufk. In Surat, a fmall kind, not bigger than a dog, draw the children in carts. OF THE SHEEP AND GOAT. THE goat and the fheep differ, in the form of their bodies, their covering, and their horns ; and may be confidered as two kinds, with regard to domeftic purpofes j but their internal conformation is alike j their feet, their four ftomachs, their fuet, their appetites, are the fame j and they propagate with each other. The produce of the buck goat with the ewe in two or three generations returns to the Iheep, The flieep and the goat, therefore, belong to one fam.ily ; and •were their races reduced to one of each, they would replenifh the earth with their kinds. Their internal ftrufture is not very remote from that of the cow kind, which they refemble in their hoofs, and in chewing the cud. But tfce differences between thefe animals are fufficiently apparent by their form and fize ; they are alfo diftinguiflied from deer, by never fhedding their horns, which draws a line between the kinds j fo that we may regard the Iheep and goat as ruminant animals of a fmaller fize, having permanent horns. Thefe harmlefs and ufcful animals have been long reclaimed from the forefl:, and brought into a ftate of domefticity. The fheep is the more ferviceable creature in moft places ; but the goat has more fenfi- bility and attachment. In the earlieft ages, the goat feemed rather the greater favourite j and continues fuch, in fome countries, among the poor. But the fheep has long become the principal objedt of human care ; efpecially in our country and climate. The Iheep, in its prefent domeftic ftate, is of all animals the moft: defencelcfs and inoffenfive ; and, if expofed in its prefent ftate to ftruggle with its natural enemies of the foreft, would foon be extirpated. Loaded WallacMaTi Sheep. / SHEEP AND GOAT. 19 Loaded with a heavy fleece, incapable of defence by its horns, heavy, flow, and feeble, it can have no fafety but fronn man. Thofe without horns are moft dull and heavy ; thofe whofe fleeces are longeft and fineft^, are moil lubject to diforders ; whatever changes have been wrought in this animal being by human induftry, are intirely calculated for human advantage. A fuccefllon of ages could fcarce reilore the fheep to its primitive ftate, fo as to become a match for its foes of the foreft. The goat is much its fuperior ; has its particular attachments, fees danger, and generally contrives to efcape it ; but the ftieep is timid without caufe, and fecure in real danger. It does not appear, from early writers, that the flieep was bred in Britain ; nor till feveral ages after this animal was cultivated, that the woollen manufadlure was carried on among us. That valuable branch of bufmefs lay for a confidcrable time in foreign hands ; and we were obliged to import the cloth, manufadured from our own materials. No country, however, produces fuch flieep as England ; with larger fleeces, or better adapted for the loom. Thofe of Spain, indeed, arc finer, and we generally require fome of their wool to work up with our own ; but the weight of a Spanilh fleece is much inferior to one of Lincoln or Warv^ickfliire : where it is no uncommon thing togive fifty guineas for a ram. Sheep, like other ruminant animals, want the upper fore teeth ; have eight in the lower jaw : two of thefe drop, and are replaced at two years old ; four of them are replaced at three years old j and all at four. The new teeth are difl:inguifiied by their freflinefs and white- nefs. Some breeds in England never change their teeth } thefe the fliep- herds call leather- mouthed cattle ; and they are generally fuppofed to grow old a year or two before the reft. Sheep bring one or two at a time J fometimes three or four. They bear five months i and, bv being houfed, bring forth at any time of the year. If we look for this animal in its nobleft ftate, we muft feek it in the African defart, or the extenfive plains of Siberia. Its defcendants have fuffered fo many changes, as entirely to dilguife the kind, and often to miilead the obferver. Scarce any two countries has flieep alike, in fize, covering, fliape, or horns. The woolly ftieep is found only in Europe, and fome of the tempe- rate provinces of Afia. When tranfported into hotter countries, it affumes a covering fitted to the climate, hairy and rough ; lofes its No. *U E ^feitility. 20 Q^tr ADRUPEDS; fertility, arid its flefli no longer has the fame flavour. In very cold countries, it feems equally a ftranger j requires unceafing attention to preferve it 3 aad though fubfifting as well in Greenland as in Guinea, yet it feems a natural inhabitant of neither. The Iceland fheep refembles ours in form j but differs in the number of horns, having four, fometimes eight, growing from different parts of the forehead. Thefe are large and formidable ; and the animal feems fitted for a flate of war : yet, is equally mild, gentle, and tisnid. Its wool is long, fmooth, and hairy. Its colour a dark brown ; and under its outward coat, it has a covering, rather refembling fur than wool, being fine, fhort, and foft. A fecond variety is the broad-tailed Ihccp, of Tartary, Arabia, Perfia, Barbary, Syria, and Egypt. This broad and heavy tail often weighs from twenty to thirty pounds : fometimes grows a foot broad, and muft be fupported by a fmall kind of board, that goes upon wheels. This tail is not woolly underneath like the upper part, but bare ; and the natives, who confider it as a great delicacy, are very careful in preferving it from injury. Their fleeces, in the temperate climates, are foft and woolly ; in the warmer latitudes hairy ; yet in both thefe fheep preferve the enormous fize of their tails. A third variety is the fheep called flrepficheros, native of the iflands of the Archipelago, which differs from our fheep, in having ftrait horns, furrounded with a fpiral furrow. Another variety is the Guinea fheep, generally found in the tropical climates. They are large, with a rough, hairy fkin, fhort horns, ears hanging down, with a kind of dewlap under the chin. They differ greatly in form from others i but breed with them, Thefe, of all the domeftic kinds, feem to approach neareft the ftate of nature r are larger, ftronger, and fwifter than others j confequently better fitted for foreft life. However, they feem to rely, like the refl, on man for fupport ; being entirely of a domeflic nature, and fubfifting only in warm climates. Thefe varieties are capable of producing among each other ; their peculiarities of form refult from climate and cultivation. While man thus cultivates the domeflic kinds, he drives away the favage race, which is lefs beneficial, and more headftrong. This is found in fmall numbers in uncultivated countries, where they have fubfifled by fwiftnefs or ftrength. In Greece, Sardinia, Corfica, and particularly in the deferts of Tartary, the moufflon is found, that is thought by ^ ' M. Buffon SHEEP AND GOAT. 21 M. Buffon to have been the primitive race j and that has been known to breed with the domeftic animal. The moufflon, (or mufimon,) though covered with hair, bears ftrongeft fimilitude to the ram ; like the ram, has the eyes placed near the horns : its ears are lliorter than thofe of the goat : refembles the ram in the contours of its form. The horns alfo are alike ; are yellow J have three fides, as in the ram, and bend backwards in the fame manner behind the ears. The muzzle, and in fide of the ears, are whitifh, tin while the upper part remains foft, and continues growing. Hence it appears they grow differently from thofe of fheep or cows ; in which they increafe from the bottom. When the whole head has received its full growth, the extremities begin to acquire folidity ; the velvet covering, or bark, with its blood-vcflcls, dry up, and begin to fall j this the animal haftcns and completes, by rubbing its antlers againft every tree. If a ftag be caftrated when its horns arc fallen, they will never return ; if when they are on, they will never fall. If partially, he will want the horn on that fide. Plenty or fcarciry of provifion, fatigue and difeafe, greatly affedl the growth of the horns. Itfeldom happens tiiat the branches on both fides fall off together, there being two or thrre days in-er- val. The old (lags ufually fhed their horns firft, the latrcr end of February, or in March ; thofe of the fecond head (between five and fix years old) about the latter end of March j thofe younger, in April ; the youngtrft of all, in May : they generally (hed them in pools of water, and this has given rife to the opinion of their hiding them. The horns g^fnerally increafe in thicknefs and in height from the fe- cond year to the eighth, but fee! the impreflions of age, and fhrink like the reft of the body. The horns alfo partake of the nature of the foil; ir^ fertile paftures they are large and tender; in barren f^ils they nre hard, ftunted, and brittle, correfpondent to the ftate of the creature himk-lf. When ftags have fhed their horns, they are utterly unable to defernl themfclves. They walk with their heads ftooping, to keep them from ftriking againft the trees above. Thus they continue near three months before their heads acquire their full growth and folidity. About the end of ^o QJJ A D R U P EDS. of Auguft, they return to the mountain to feek the hind, to whom they call with a loud tremulous note. At this time their neck is fwollenj they appear bold and furious j fly from country to country: and butt with their horns. At the end of this period of madnefs, the creature that was before fat, fleek, and gloffy, becomes lean, feeble, and timid. As he is above five years coming to perfection, he lives about forty years. The ufual colour of the flag in England was red ; neverthelefs, the greater number in other countries are brown. Some few are white ; hue thefe perhaps obtained this colour in a former (late of domefticity. Of all animals in this climate, none have fo beautiful an eye as the (lag ; it is fpaikling, fofr, and fcnfible. His fmelling and hearing are in per- fection. When alarmed, he lifts his head and ereds his ears. Man is not the enemy he moll fears j he fcems delighted with the fliepherd*s pipe ; and the hunters fometimes ufe that inftrument to allure him. The flag cats (lowly, and is delicate in his choice of pafture. He re- tires to covert to chew the cud in fecurity. His rumination feems per- formed witii difficulty; not without much draining, and a kind of hiccup, which iseafily perceived the whole time. Some years ago, Wil- liam Duke of Cumberland caufed a tiger and a flag to be inclofcd in the fame area ; the (lag made fo bold a defence, that the tyger was at lad obliged to fly. The cry of the hind, or female, is not fo loud as that of the male, and never excited but by apprehenfion for herfelf or her young. She has no horns. The time of gedation is between eight and nine months ; generally produce but one about May, or June : they take great care to iiide their young, fince almoft every creature is then a formidable enemy. What is more unnatural, the ftag himfelf is a profelTed enemy, and (he is obliged to ufe all her arts to conceal her young froin him as from the mod dangerous of her purfuers. At this feafon, the courage and arts of the male fcem transferred to the female. The calf (as the young dag is called) accompanies the dam the whole fummerj in winter, the hind, and young males aHemble in herds, which are numerous in proportion as the feafon is fevere. The dags of China are no taller than a common houfe-dog ; hunting them is a principal diverfion of the great. Their fie(h, while young, is good ; at maturity, hard and tough : the tongue, the muzzle, and the ears, are in particular cdeem among that luxurious people. Their manner of taking them is fingular : they carry a head of the female ii:ulted| and exa(^ly imitate her cry ; upon this the male appears, and perceiving THE DEER KIND. 31 perceiving the head (which is all that the hunter, who is himfelf con- cealed, difcovers) advances, the company then rife, furround, and often take him alive. There are very few varieties in the red deer of this country. But in different parts of the world, they differ in form, fize, horns, and colour. The Corfican ftag is a very fmall animal, not above half the fize of ours. His body is fhort and thick, his legs fhort, and his hair a dark brown. In the forefts of Germany is a kind of ftag, named by the ancients the Tragelaphus, which the natives call the Bran, or Brown Deer ; is of a darker colour than the common ftag, of a lighter fliade upon the belly, and long hair upon the neck and throat, by which it appears bearded, like the goat. The Hippelaphus is of the fame race. The Axis (of Pliny), between the ftag and the fallow deer, is a beau- tiful ftag inhabiting the banks of the Ganges, Ceylon and Java j are very tame, and, though they readily eat bread, will refufe a piece that has been breathed on. Although there are but few varieties of the deer kind, yet the deer feems generally diffufed over the earth. America produces ftags, and deer. The Mexicans have a breed of white ftags in their parks, which they call Stags Royal. The Americans are faid to have brought the ftag to the fame domeftic tamenefs as our ftieep, goats, or cattle. They fend them forth in the day-time to feed in the forefts j and at night they return home with the herdfman who guards them.. THE FALLOW DEER. ^l^HE flag and the fallow deer are alike in form, in difpofition, in j^ the furniture of their heads, in fwiftnefs and timidity; yet they never herd together, or form a mixed breed ; and where the ftag is common, the buck feems a ftranger. The fallow deer are lefs robuft, and favage than the ftag ; are, in general, bred in parks, and kept for their venifon. The horns of the buck are broad and palmated j whereas thofe of the ftag are in every part round; they are flied yearly and take the ufual tim.e for repairing. The fallow deer is eafily tamed, and feeds upon many things which the ftag refufes. By this means it preferves its venifon better. The doe goes with young above eight months, common- No. 21, G , ly 32 QJJ ADRUPEDS. ly brings one : the buck comes to perfection at three, and lives till fix- teen years. The ftrength, cunning and courage of this aninnal, is inferior to the (lag ; being lighter, and not tracking fo deeply, it leaves a lefs powerful and lading icent, and the dogs in purfuit are more frequently at a fault. We have in England two varieties of the fallow deer, which are faid to be of foreign origin. The beautiful fpotted kind, fuppofed to have been brought from Bengal ; and the very deep brown fort, introduced by King James the Firft, from Norway. From having obferved their hardinefs, and that they could endure the winter, even in that feverc climate, without fodder, he brought over fome pf them into Scotland, and difpofed of them among his chaccs. Since that time, they have multiplied in many parts of the Britifh empire; and England is now be- come more famous for its venifon, than any other country. Found in moll parts of Europe, in Greece, Syria, and the north of China. THE ROE-BUCK IS the fmalleft of the deer kind in our climate, and is almoft extinft, except in fome of the highlands of Scotland. Exceeds three feet long, and two feet high ; horns from eight to nine inches long, upright, round, divided into only three branches, and are deciduous. Body co- vered with very long hair, well adapted to the rigour of its mountainous abode. The lower part of each hair is alh-colour ; near the ends is a narrow bar of black, and the points are yellow. The hairs on the face are black, tipped with alb-colour. The ears arc long, their infides a pale yellow, and covered with long hair. The fpaces bordering on the eyes and mouth, are black. The cheft, belly, legs, and infide of the thighs, are yellowifli white; the rump pure white ; the tail very fhort. This animal is very elegant, and fwifc. The roe-buck courts the fhady thicket, and the rifing flope. Its h?iir is always fmooth, clean, and gloOy ; it frequents only the drielt places, and the pureft air. Though but a little animal, yet, when its young is attacked, it faces even the flag himfelf, and often comes off vidorious. It is cunning, difficult to purfue, and, though its fcent is much ftronger than that of the fl::Ag, more frequently makes good a reireat. The flag never ufes art till his ftrength declines i but when the THE DEER KIND. 33 the roe finds its firfl: efforts to efcape without fuccefs, it returns on its former track, again goes forward, and again returns, till by its various windings, the fcent is entirely confounded, and the laft ennanations joined to thofe of its former courfes. It then, by a bound, goes to one fide, lies flat on its belly, and permits the pack to pafs by without offering to ftir. Thefe animals live in families j the fire, the dam, and the young ones i and never admit a ftranger. All the deer kind are inconftanc but the roe- buck, who never leaves its mate; as they have been gene- rally bred up together from fawns, their attachment is ftrong, perma- nent, and mutual. The female fawns in May ; goes with young five months and an half j which diftinguilhes this animal from all others of the deer kind, that continue pregnant more than eight. The female retreats to the thickeft woods, being not lefs appre- henfive of the buck than of the wolf, the wild cat, and other ravenous animals j generally produces two, very rarely three. In about ten or twelve days thefe are able to follow their dam, except purfued. On fuch occafions, the tendernefs of the dam is extraordi- nary ; leaving them in the deepeft thickets, fhe off*ers herfelf to the danger, and flies before the hounds, to miflead them from the retreat of her little ones. Such animals as are not beyond her power, fhe boldly encounters } attacks the fl:ag, the wild cat, and the wolf ; ene- mies, which, in conjunction with mankind, have diminilhed the fpecies. The fa.-wns follow the deer eight or nine months. They (hed their horns the. latter end of autumn, and renew them during winter. When they falJ, and new ones appear, the roe-buck does not forfakc its ufual haunts, but keeps down irs head to avoid ftriking its horns againfl: the branches of trees, the pain of which it feems to feel with cxquifitc fenfibility. It feldom is found to live above twelve or fifteen years i if kept tame, not above fix or feven. They may bt fubdued, but never domeft:icated, or be made familiar : inhabits mofi^'parts of Europe, in Tartary and China, not Africa. Uncertain whether an Americao. animal of this kind is of this fpecies, or one refembling it, that is very numerous, as well in Louifiana as in Brafil. G2 Q^U ADRUPEDS. THE ELK. THE Elk is rather of the buck than the flag kind, as its horns are flatted toward the top j but far exceeds in ftature, being often ten feet high : is called in Europe the Elk, and in North America the Moofe-deer. It is tinnorous and gentle; content with its pafture, and never willing to difturb any other animal, when fupplied itfelf. The hair is very long and coarfe : the ears a foot and an half long. The upper jaw longer by fix inches, than the lowers and almoft di- vided by a deep hollow : has a fort of beard under the throat, hanging. from a fmall excrefcence, and a prominence in the middle of the forehead. The noftrils four inches long on each fide the mouth; nofe very broad ; it ufes its fore feet, which are very Iharply hoofed, to ftrike down its enemies ; hind-legs much ihorter than the fore-legs ; hoofs very much cloven ; colour of the body in general a hoary black, and grey about the face. There are two kinds, the common grey moofe, which is not very large, and the black moofe j all have flat palmated horns, the palm very large, having a fhort trunk at the head, and immediately fpreading above a foot broad, with a kind of fmall antlers, like teeth, on one of the edges. The grey moofe-deer is about the fize of a horfe ; as in all of this kind the upper lip is much longer than the under, it is faid they go backward, as they feed. Their noflirils are fo large that a man may-thrull his hand in a confiderable way. Joflelyn, the firfl: Englifli writer who mentions the black moofe, fays, itis a goodly creature, twelve feet high, with exceeding fair horns, that have broad palms, two fathoms from the top of one horn to another : that it is a creature, or rather a monfter of Superfluity, and many times bigger than an Englifli ox. This Dudley confirms, but gives to the horns only thirty-one inches between tip and tip: however, that fuch an extraor- dinary animal as Joflelyn defcribes, has adually exifl:ed, we cannot doubt, fincc horns twelve fetz from tip to tip have often been found in a foflil Hate, as well in Ireland as in America. Thefe animals delight in cold countries, feeding on grafs in fummer, and bark of trees in winter. The natives prepare to hunt them when the fun begins to melt the fnow by day, which is frozen again at night; for then the icy crufl which covers the fnow, ufually four feet deep, is too weak to fupport fo great a bulk, and retards the creature's motion. The timorous T H E D E E R K I N D. 3f timorous animal, by its endeavours to efcape, finks at every flep it takes. Still it purfues its way through a thoufand obftacles : the fnow yields to its weight; the (harp ice wounds its feet; and its lofty horns are en- tangled in the branches as it paffcs : thefe are broken down with eafe ; and where the moofe-decr runs, is traced by the fnapping off branches of trees, as thick as a man's thigh, with its horns. The chace lafts thus a whole day ; fometimes two, or three days. The moofe trots on (for that is its ufual pace), till its purfuers come up; after repeated wounds, and repeated exertions, quite tired, and fpent, it finks, like a ruined building, and fhakes the earth beneath its fall. The fle(h is well tailed, and faid to be very nourifhing. The hide is ftrong, and fo thick, that it has been often known to turn a mufket ball. The fur, when viewed through a micro fcope, appears fpongy like a bulrufh, and is fmaller at the roots and points than in the middle ; for this reafon, it lies very fiat and fmooth, and though beaten and abufed never fo much, always returns to its former ftate. THE R E I N-D E E R IS a native of the polar regions, and incapable of fufliaining more temperate climates. From it the natives of Lapland and Green- land fupply mioft of their wants ; like a horfe, it conveys them and their fcanty furniture from mountain to mountain; like a cow it gives milk; and like the fiieep, it fnrnilhes a warm, though homely clothing : the milk affords cheefe, the flefli, food ; the tendons, bowflrings ; and when fplit, thread ; the horns, glue ; the bones, fpoons. The rein-deer fomewhat refembles the tlk in its horns, has brow- antlers, very large, and hanging over the eyes, palmated toward the top, and bending forward. The rein-deer is much fmaller, lower, and ftronger built than the fliag; its legs fhorter and thicker, its hoofs much broader, its hair much thicker and warmer, its horns much larger, as alfo its ears; its pace is rather a trot than a bounding, and this it can continue for a whole day; its hoofs are cloven and moveable, fo that it fpreads them abroad as it goes, to prevent finking in the fnow, which, when it raifcs its feet again, occafions them to ttrike together with an audible crack : the elk has the fame peculiarity. The female rein- 2 deer ^6 CLU ADRUPEDS. 4eer has horns as well as the male, by which the fpecies is diftinguiflied from every animal of the deer kind. When the rein-deer firft fhed their coat they are brown ; but, as fummer approaches, their hair grows whitiihj and at lad, nearly grey. They are, however, always black about the eyes. The neck has long hair, hanging down, and coarfer than other parts. The feet, at the in- fertion of the hoof, are furrounded with a ring of white. The hair in general ftands fo thick over the body, that if one fliould attempt to fe- parate it, the Ikin will no where appear uncovered : when it falls, it feems broken fhort near the bottom ; fo that the lower part of the hair remains. The horns of the female are like thofe of the male, but they are fmaller and lefs branching. As in other deer, they fprout from the points ; and alfo are furnifhed with an hairy bark, which fupports the blood-veflels, of mod exquifite fenfibility. The rein-deer Hied their horns, at the latter end of November; and are not completely furnilhed again till towards autumn. The female retains hers till llie brings forth. In Lapland this animal is of the greateft advantage, where it forms the riches of the inhabitants, fome of whom poiTefs herds of a ihoufand ; their great enemies are the innumicrable fwarms of gnats which infeft the lower grounds in fummer, and even drive them from their paftures to the mountains, where the gnats fear to come becaufe of the cold. Befides the gnat, there is a gadfly, no lefs formidable and often fatal. This fly is bred under their fkins, where the egg has been depofited the preceding fummer j and is no fooner produced than it endeavours to depofite its eggs in a place flmilar to that from whence it came. Whenever, therefore, this fly appears over an herd of rein-deer, it ter- rifies the whole body j they know their enemy, and by toITing their horns, and running among each other, endeavour to avoid it, or run for fhelter to the mountains j they have alfo enemies in the beads of the foreft, and have difeafes fome of wiiich are fudden, contagious, and incurable. The female brings forth in the middle of May, and gives milk till about the middle of Oftober. Every morning and evening, during fummer, theherdfman returns to the cottage with his deer to be milked, where the women have previoufly kindled a fmoky fire, which drives off the gnats, and keeps the rein-deer quiet. The female yields about a pint, then the herdfman drives them back to feed ; neither folds nor houfes them, neither provides their fubfifl:ence, nor cultivates their pafture, •« ■ Thei^' THE DEER KIND. jy Their chief, and almoft their only food, in winter, is the mofs, which, from its being fed on by this animal, obtains the name of the rein-deer lichen (lichen rar.giferirtus). This is of two kinds; one white, which covers almoft all the dcfert parts of the country lik- fnow ; the other black, which covers the branches of the trees. The deer purfue their food, though covered in the dcepeft fnow, even though its furfacc be frozen : They turn it up with their nofcs, like fwine, for the hide by ufe is hardened in that part. The rein-deer of this country are of two kinds, wild and tame. The wild are larger and ftrongcr, but more mifchievous than the others. No creature can be more aftive, patient, and willing than the tame ; when hard pulhed, they will trot nine or ten Swedilh miles, or between fifty and fixty Englifh miles, at one ftretch : but the poor obedient creature fatigues itfelt to death. In general, they can go about thirty miles with- out halting, and without danger. They go with young about eight months and generally bring two. The dam is fond of her young, and often, when they are feparated from her, returns from pallure, keeps calling round the cottage for them, and will not defift, till they are brought and laid at her feet. They are at firft of a light brown, but become darker wiih age. The old ones al- moft approach to blacknefs. The young follow the dam two or three years ; do not acquire their full growth rill four; are then broke in, and managed for drawing the fledge, and continue ferviceable four or five years longer. Live about fifteen or fixtcen years. OF THE MUSK ANIMAL. MUSK is brought to Europe in fmall bags, about the Hze of % pigeon's egg, containing a kind of dii|]ty reddifti fubftance, like coagulated blood, which, in large quantities, has a very ftrcng Imell; but when mixed and diffufed, becoiiics a very agreeable perfume. No fubftance known has a ftronger or more permanent fmell. A grain of mufk perfumes a whole room j and its odour continues lome days with- out diminution. In a larger quantity it continues for years, and feems fcarce wafted in weight, though it has filled ;he atmofphere to a great No. 2 2, }X diftaDC9 3? Q^U ADRUPEDS. diftance with its particles. In nervous and hyfleric diforders, it is found a powerful remedy. The aninnalthat furnifhes this admirable medicine, is known but imperfeftly. The Muflc animal has no horns j wants fore teeth in the upper jaw, the fame as ruminating animals ; but has two tuflcs hanging out ex- pofed. Eight fmall cutting teeth in the lower jaw. It is three feet fix inches in length, about two feet three or four inches high. The head is above half a foot long ; the fore part of the head is fomewhat like a greyhound j ears long and narrow, infide pale yellow, outfide deep brown, partly ertft, like thofe of a rabbit ; the tail not two inches j is cloven- footed; hoofs flender and black j hair is erecl, on the head and legs half an incn long, on the belly an inch and half, on the back and buttocks three inches, and proportionably thicker than in any other animal ; is waved brown and white alternately, from the root to the point J on the head and thighs brown, under the belly and tail white, a little curled, efpecially on the back and belly. On each fide of the lower jaw, under the corners of the mouth, is a tuft of thick hair, which is fhort and hard, about three quarters of an inch long. The hair of this animal is foft arid finej but what diUinguifhes it are the tufks, which are near two inches long, and turn back in the form of a hook.j and, more particularly, the mufk bag, which is about the fize of a hen*s egg, on- the belly of the male only : It has two fmall orifices, one naked, the other hairy. It is a very fearful animal ; has the fenfe of hearing fo quick, that it can difcover an enemy at a great diftance. The female is lefs than the male, nofe (harper, wants the two tulks, and has two fm&ll teats. Inhabits the kingdom of 1'iLet, China, Ton- quiriy and BorJan, from lat. 60 to 45 or 44; but never wanders -fo far fouth, except forced by feverity of the feafon, when they feek corn or rice newly grown. Inhabits naturally mountains covered with pines i loves folitude j if purfued, feeks inaccefllble fummits. It is extremely probable, that the mufk- bags fold by the hunters are adulterated, as the greateft plenty of the animal could fcarce fupply the quantity fold. The flcfh of the animal is infedled with the fcent, but is eaten by the Mufco- vites. The Tibet mulk is the beft ; the RufBan the v/orll:. This is not the only animal refembling the deer, yet without horns. There arc Others in Brazil and India. THE ( 39 ) THE CAMEL AND THE DROMEDARY. THESE animals are in all refpefts the fanne, except that the camel has but one bunch on his back j the dromedary has two. The camel alfo is the ftrongeft and largeft. The two races produce with each other, and the mixed breed formed between them is confidered the bcft, the mod patient, and moft indefatigable. The camel has a bunch on the back, fmall head, little ears, long neck and bending ; about fix feet fix inches to the top of his bunch ; foft hair, longell about the neck, throat, and bunch; tail long, hoofs fmall, divided, but not entirely} the foal exceflively tough and pliant; has fix callofities on the legs, one on each knee, one on the infide of each fore-leg on the upptrr joint, one on the infide of the hind-leg at the bottom of the thigh, another on the lower part of the bread, being the places on which the animal refts when lying down. The camel is by far the moft numerous, and is fpread over the defarts of Arabia, Africa, Perfia, Tartary, and great part of the eaftern Indies, but cannot fubfifr, or propagate, in the variable climates towards the north ; they feem formed for countries where fiirubs are plenty, and •water fcarce ; where they can travel along the fandy defart, without be- ing impeded by rivers, and find food at expected diftances ; fuch a country is the defart of Arabia, and feems moft adapted to this animal. They have been tranfported to Spain, to America, to Barbadoes, but without efFc6t. The camel is the moft temperate of animals, and can travel feveral days without drinking. Its feet are formed for travelling upon fand, and. utterly unfit for moift or marftiy places ; the Arabians, therefore, find a iTioft ufeful afiiftant in this animal, where no other could fubfift, and by its means crofs thofe defarts with fafety, which would be unpaflfable by any other method of conveyance. If the camel fhould flip, as in moift places it might, it would fplit afunder under'a burden. The natives could neither fubfift, traffick, or travel without the camel j its milk and flefti make part of their nourilhment; its hair, which ic fheds yearly, their clothmg; and if they fear an invading enemy, their camels convey them in a fingle day above an buodred miles. All the 2 Hz armies 40 Q^U ADRUPEDS. armies upon earth might be loft in purfuit of a flying fquadron mounted on camels. The camel is cafily inftrufted in the methods of taking up and fup* porting his burthen ; their legs, a few days after they are produced, are bent under their belly ; they are then loaded, and taught to rife; their burthen is daily infenlibly increafcd. Equal care is taken in making them patient of hunger and thirft : while other animals receive their food at fta:ed times, the camel is reftrained for days together, and thefe intervals of fcarcity are increafcd in proportion as the animal feems capa- ble of fuftaining them. 1 heir ftomach is admirably formed by nature for long abftinence : befides the four ftomachs, common to animals that chew the cud (and the camel is of the number), it has a fifth ftomach, which fervcs as a refervoir, to hold a greater quantity of water than the animal has immediate occafion for. Here the fluid remains without corrupting, or being adulterated by other alim.ents : when the camel finds itfelf thirily, it throws up a quantity of this water by a fimple con- tradlion of the mufcles, into the other ftomachs, and thus macerates its food. In Turkey, Pcrfia, Arabia, Barbary, and Egypt, all commerce is carried on by camels. Merchants and travellers unite in a body,' to fecure them.felves from robbers. This aflemblage is called a caravan ; fometimes conHfting of above ten thoufand perfons, and the number of camels often greater. Thefe animals are loaded according to their llrength, and of this each is fo fi^nftble, that when overloaded, he re- mains on his belly, refufing to rife, till his burthen be leflTened. Large camels are capable of carrying a thoufand weight, and fometimes twelve hundred; the dromedary from fix to kven. In trading journeys, they feldom go above thirty, or five and thirty miles a day. Every evening, when they arrive at a ixage, which is ufually fome fpot of verdure, they feed at liberty, and eat as much in an hour, as will fupply them for twenty foui ; they prefer poarfe weeds, the thiftle, nettle, cafia, and other prickly vegetables ; but their drivers fupply them with balls of mea^, of barley, or beans, as more perm.anent nourifhment. Thefe animals, h-^ving often gone the fame track, are faid to know their way precifely, even when their guides are bewildered. When they come wirhin -4 few miles of their baiting-place, in the evening, they faga- cioufly incjreafe their fpeed, and often trot with vivacity to their ftage. They can difcover water by their fcent at half a league diftance, and )vill haUca towards it, long beforp their driyers perceiye it. They are J ' . , ' ' _..-.... , . enlivened THE CAMEL AND THE DROMEDARY. 41 enlivened by the pipe ind mufic, and this always forms part of their drivers* profcflion. The humps on the back grow large in proportion as the animal is well fed, and are in fubftance not unlike the udder of a cow. The female goes with young about a year, and produces but one at a time. Camel's milk is abundant and nourifhing, and mixed with water makes a principal part of the beverage of the Arabians. They ordinarily live from forty to fifty years. There is a kind of dromedary which is fwift, and ufed only to ride on, is trained for running matches, and to carry couriers, who travel an hundred miles a day for nine days together over burning fands. The African camels are very hardy, and pafs dreadful delarts from Numidia to Ethiopia. THE LAMA. ^l^HE Lama may be confidered as the camel of the new world, and J^ is every way fmaller than that of the old. Rcfembles the camel, not only in its natural mildnefs, but its aptnefs for fervitude, its mo- deracion, and its patience. The Americans early availed thcmfelves of its ufeful qualities. They belong entirely to the new continent ; nor are they fpread over all America, but chiefly among the Andes. They inhabit the higheft rc-gions of the globe, and feem to require the purefl air. In Potofi, and other provinces of Peru, where they are numerous, they make the chief riches of their mailers, Indians and Spaniards : their flelh is excellent food ; their hair, or rather wool, forms clothing ; and, in the moft rugged and dangerous ways, they carry burthens of a hundred weight with fafety. They go about fifteen miles a day ; their tread is heavy, but fure ; they dcfccnd precipices, and find footing among craggy rocks where men can fcarce accompany them. After four or five days labour, they are obliged to repofe for a day or two. They are chitfly ufed in carrying the riches of the mines of Potofi ; and we are told that there are above three hundred thoufand of thefe animials in aftual employ. Were ufed to plough the land before the irArodudion of mules. This 4z QJJ ADRUPEDS. This animal is about the fize of an afs, feme four or four and half feet high, and fix in length ; the neck three feet long, the head is fmall, its face refembling a camel, eyes large, nofe long, lips thick, the upper divided, the lower a little depending ; like all ani nals that fred on grafs, wants the upper cutting teeth ; the ears four inches long, move with great agility j the tail fmal!, ftrait, a little turned ud at the end ; is cloven footed, like the ox, but has a k'nd of fpear-like ap- pendage behind, which afTifts it in moving over precipices and rugged ways i the wool on the back is Ihort, but lon^ on the (ides anl tne belly j has fmooth hair when tame, rough when wild; are moftly brown, but fome white, black, or fpotted. The lama is extremely moderate in what it drinks, and exceeds even the camel in temperance, indeed, of all creatures, it feems to require water leaft, as it is fupplied by nature with faliva in fuch large qiian- titics, that it fpits it out on every occafion, and this faliva is its only ofFenfive weapon j wherever it falls on the Ikin, it caufes an itching and reddifh fpot. Thefe animals are found wild in very great numbers, and exhibit marks of very great force and agility; are in (hape delicate and ftrong ; colour tawney, wool Ihort ; in their native foreils are gregarious ani- mals, often ieen in flocks of two or three hundred. When they per- ceive a ftranger, they regard him with aftonifhment, without marking fear or furprife j but fliortly, as if by common confent, they fnuff up the air, fomewhat like horfes, and take refuge on the tops of the moun- tains : are fonder of the northern than the fouthern fide of the Andes ; often climb above the fnowy tracts of the mountain, and feem vigorous in proportion tptlie coldnefs of their fituation. The lama feems to be the largeft of the camel kind in America ; there are others, called guanacoes and pacos, that are fmaller and weaker, of the fame nature and forms. The wool of the paco is formed into (luffs, not inferior to filk, either in price or beauty. The natural colour ot the paco is that of a dried rofe-leaf, or dull purple ; the manufacturers icldom dye its wool, but form it into cjuilts and carpets. Q F ( 43 ) O F T H a HOG KIND. THE hog kind feem to unite thofe diftindions by which others arc fcparatcd. They refenr.ble the horfe in the number of their teetn, which a. no-jnt to forty- four, in the length of their head, and in having but one ftonnach. They rcfennble the cow in their apparently cloven hoofs, and the pofition of their inteftines ; and they refemble the rapa- cious kind in their appetite for flefh, in their not chewing the cud, and in their numerous progeny. Like them they have fhort inteftines; their hoofs alfo, though apparently cloven, on anatomical infpeftion, appear formed with bones like beafts of pr^yi and the number of their teats inr creafes the (imilitude. The wild Boar is bv no means fo ftupid nor fo filthy, as that reduced to tarnenefs ; he is fmaller; his colour an iron grey, inclining to black ; his fnout is much longer than that of the came hog ; ears (horter, rounder, and black. He roots up the ground like a furrow, and docs irreparable damage in cultivated lands. The tufks ot this animal arc large, fome of them almoft a foot long. Thefe grow from both the under and upper jaw, bend upwards circularly, and are exceeding (harp; they never falh all the hog kind never (bed their teeth. The tulks of the lower jaw are moft to be dreaded, and give very terrible wounds. The wild boar can properly be called neither folitary nor gregarious. The three firft years the litter follows the fow, and the family lives toge- ther. They are then called beads of companv, and unite their forces againft bealls of prey, calling to each orher with a very loud and fierce note; the ftrongeft face the danger, and rhe we.ikcft fall into tar centre. In this pofition tew ravenous beads dare attack tnem. Wiien the wild boar is mature, and confcious of his ftrcngth, he walks the forcll alone, and fearlcfs. The hog, in a natural date, feeds chiefly on roots and vegetables ; feldom attacks other animals ; but if an animal die in the fort ft, or is lb wounded that it can make no refidance, it becomes a prey to the hog, who feldom refufes animal food, how putrid focver, though never a: the pains of taking or procuring it alive. In A '. erica, feeds upon rattle fnakes with fafety, and is in that refpeft very ufelul. It is of all quadrupeds moll delicate in the choice of vegetables, and yejefts a greater nymberthan others. The cow^ we are allured by Lin- ^0, ^2, J njeus. 44 Q^U ADRUPEDS. njEus, eats two hundred and feventy-fix plants, and reje6ls two hundred and eighteen ; the goat eats four hundred and forty-nine, and rejedts an hundred and twenty-fix; the fheep eats three hundred and eighty-feven, and rejedls an hundred and forty-one; the horfe eats two hundred and fixty-two, and rejefts two hundred and twelve; but the hog eats only feventy-two plants, and rejfdls an hundred and feventy-one. The indelicacy of this animal is, therefore, rather in our apprehenfions than in its nature ; for, where it finds variety, it rejefls the word with as diftinguifliing a tafte as any other quadruped whatfoever. In the orchards of peach-trees in North-America, where the hog has plenty, it will rejedl the fruit that has b.in a few hours on the ground, and continue on the watch hours together for a frefh windfall. The hog is ftupid, inadtive, and drowfy ; would ileep'half its time; but is frequently awaked by the calls of appetite, which having fatisfied, goes to reft again. Its whole life is fleep and gluttony, in enjoyment of which it foon grows unfit even for exiftence; its flefh becomes a greater load than its legs are able to fupport, and it continues to feed lying down, or kneeling^ an helplefs inftance of indulged fenfuality. Is keen of fmell ; its fat difpofed different from other animals in a regular coat over the ■whole body. When the wind blows with vehemence, is greatly agi- tated, runs violently to its fly, fcreaming horribly, which feems to indi- cate that it is naturally fond of a warm climate. It appears alfo to fore- fee bad weather, bringing ftraw in its mouth, preparing a bed, and hiding itfelf from the impending ftorm. When it hears anyof its kind in diftrefs, gathers round it, to lend fruitlefs afiiflance, and to fympa- thize with its fufferings. They have been known to gather round a dog that had teazed them, and kill him on the fpot. Neverthelefs, is fo brutal, as to eat its own offspring, and fometimes infants. Moft difeafes of this animal arife from intemperance ; meaQes, im- pofthumes, and fcrophula. It is thought by fome that ihey wallow in the mire to deftroy a fort of loufe that infefts them ; rather, perhaps, to cool their furfcited body. They generally live eighteen or twenty years; and the females produce till fifteen. As they produce from ten to twen- ty at a litter, twice a year, they would (hortly become exceedingly nume- rous, if not diminifhed. In the wild ftate, the fow brings forth but once a year. The wild boar was formerly native of our country, as appears from the laws of Hoel Dda, the famous Welch Icgiflator, who permitted his grand huntfman to chace that animal from the middle of November to the THE HOG KIND. 4^ the beginning of December. William the Conqueror alio punilhed fuch as were convifted of killing the wild boar in his forefts, with the lofs of their eyes. At prefent the wild breed is extinftj but no country makes greater ufe of the tame. This animal is native of almoft every country, except in the frigid zones and Kamtchatka, and where the cold is very feverc. Since in- troduced into America by the Europeans, abounds to excefs in the hot and temperate parts. The Eaft-India breed is lower, leis furnilhed with hair, ufually black, and has the belly almoft touching the ground i it is now common in England. There is a remarkable variety of this animal about Upfal, which is fingle- hoofed, like the horfe ; but in no other rcfpeft differing from the common kinds. The Guinea hog differs alfo in fome things from our own* I have leen in the poffeflion of an officer, who had ferved in the Eaft- Indies, drawings of a pair of creatures exadly refcmbling hogs, except that they had only two legs, their hinder parts being held up in the air, as it were. They are natives of Ceylon, and were fent from thence to a Rajah (I believe) of Tanjore, where they were drawn. They walk with difficulty, and are not eafily induced to rife. Thefe we confider as of the hog kind j there are other quadrupeds refembling this fpecies, but very diftind, notwithftanding their general form or habits. THE AFRICAN WILD BOAR DIFFERS from that of Europe, efpecially by its head ; which is enormoufly large ; has two tufks in the lower jaw, and two very- large in the upper, rifing almoft perpendicular, near feven inches long. The under tulks exactly meet the upper when the mouth is {hut. The head is flat in front, and ends in a confiderable breadth of fnout, almoft of a horny hardnefs, with which he roots the earth ; no fore teeth; his eyes are placed on the fore part of his head, fo that he can only fee be- fore him. Beneath them is a very wrinkled kind of hollow, formed of loofe fkin j fomewhat lower, the fkin rifes, and forms on each fide an excrefcence, which at a little diftance refembles ears in fize and figure, broad, flat, rounded at the end, lying alm.oft in tlue fame direftion as the face, intercepting the view of every thing below from the animal ; 1 2 between ^^ Q^U ADRUPEDS. between- the excrefcences and the tufks, is a large callous protuberanea on e.ich fide the face ; ears large and fharp pointed, well lined with long whicilh hairs; tail naked, (lender, and flat, not very long; hoo^s divid- ed ; general colour blackifh ; grows to an enormous fize ; capable of tament-fs, in fome degree at leaft, but irritable and capricious ; naturally- very fwift and fierce ; will not breed with the common fort ; inhabits the Jaotteft parts of Africa -, little of its native manners known. THE' PECCARY, OR TAJACU. THE Peccary, or Tajaru, is native of America and the Antilles, found in h<'rds of feveral hundreds together, grazing among the "woods ; inolTcnfive except when offended. The peccary refembles a fmall hog in the form of its body, the fhape of its head, the l.-ngth of its fnour, and the form of its legs; but the body is not To bulkv, its legs not fo long, its briftles much thicker and |lron52:»T than thofc of the hog, lefs refembling hair than the quills of a porcupine, hut are not near fo thick ; are aifo variegated like the porcu-. pine's, Inftead of a tail, it has only a littie flefhy protuberance, which dofs not even cover its pofteriors. It differs from all other quadru- peds by having on its b)ck a lump refembling the navel in other ani- mals, which feparates a liquor of a very ftrong fmell. This lump, (ituated on. the hinder part of the back, is, in general, fo covered with long briftles, that it cannot be feen except thev be drawn afide. A fmall fpace thrn appears, only befet with a few (hort fine hairs. In the middle it rifcs, and has an orifice capable of receiving a goofe quill, about an inch in depth; round it, under the (kin, are fituated a number of fmall glands, whicn diftil a whitifh liquor, in colour and fubftance refembling that obtained from the civet animal ; but offenfive. While fome creatures have thefe ghmds under the belly, of under the tail, the peccary has them on ijC^ back. The belly is iliPiOi^ bare ; the briftles en the fides gradually increafe in length, as tiiey approach the ridge of the back, where fome are five inches lo g. On the head, between the ears, is a large tuft of briftles, chiefly black ; ears are about two inches and a half long, ft:anding up- jWght} the eyes-iefemble thofe of a common hog, but fmaller ; the Ihoue ■ '- ' ' i§ THE HOG KIND. 47 b like a hog's, though fmall. One fide of the lower lip is generally fmooth, by the rubbing of the tu(k of the upper jaw. The feet and hoofs are perfectly like thofe of a common hog. The peccary may be tamed like a hog, and has pretty nearly the fame habits and natural inclinations ; feeds upon the fame aliments ; its flefh, though drier and leaner than that of the hog, is pretty good eating; and, when killed, not only the parts of generation muft be taken in- ftantly away, but alfo the lump on the back, with all the glands that contribute to its fupply. If this operation be deferred only half an hour, the flefh becomes utterly unfit to be eaten. They are particularly fierce when their young are afTaulted ; they furround the plunderer, attack him boldly, and frequently make his life pay the forfeit of his raihnefs. When any of the natives are purfued by a herd, they climb a tree to avoid them j the peccaries gather round it j by threatening with their tulks, and erecting their rough briftles (as hogs) they aflume a very terrible appearance. Thus they remain at the foot of the tree hours together, while the hunter is obliged to wait patient- ly, and not without apprehenfions, till they retire. The peccary is fond of mountain-forefts (not of marlhes or the mud, like our hogs) ; it fubfifts on wild fruits, roots, and vegetables ; is an unceafing enemy to the lizard, toad, and ferpent, with which thefe un- cultivated foreils abound. As foon as it perceives a ferpent, it feizes it with its fore hoofs and teeth, fkins it in an inflant with great dexterity, and devours the flefli. The jaguar is its mortal enqmy, but often feels the force of their union. It is faid there are two forts of peccary j one large — the other fmall, and no enemy to marfiies or mud, out of which it draws worms and infects. The peccary is very prolific j the young ones follow the dam till they come to perfeftion. If taken at firft, foon lofe their natural ferocity ; never fnew any remarkable figns of docility, but continue ftupid and rude, without attachment, or feeming to know the hand that feeds them. They feldom ftray far from home; return of themfelves to the fty J and do not quarrel among each other, except when fed in common. At fuch times have an angry kind of growl, much ftronger and harlher than that of an hog, but are feldom heard to fcream like the former; fometimes, when frighted or irritated, they have an abrupt angry man- ner of blowing like the boar. The peccary is very diftinfb from the hog, and will not mix with it. The Warree is the European hog, degenerated into a wild ftate in the forefts of America, 2 THE 48 Q^U ADRUPEDS. ^"-^ THE BABYROUESSA, or INDIAN HOG. THIS animars figure, on the whole, moft referrbles that of tl c hog; has four cutting teeth in the upper, fix in the lower jaw. Its legs are longer, its body nnore flender than a hog j its hair is finer, bja'ckilh, rather refembling wool than briftles, but along its back are fome v;eak bridles ; its tail is long, and alfo tufced with the fame, often twifted i ears fmall, eredl, Iharp pointed. What principally diftinguifh it, are four tufks j the two largeft (about twelve inches long) from the upper, the two fmalleft (about eight inches) from the under jaw. The jaw-bones of this extraordinary animal are very thick and ftrong, from whence thefe monftrous tufks proceed; they bend circularly, the two lower like thofe of the boar, the two upper rife from the upper jaw, rather like horns than teeth ; and, bending upwards and backwards, fometimes have their points directed to the animal's eyes, and fometimes grow into them. The tufl^s in both jaws are of a very fine ivory, fmoother and whiter than that of the elephant, but not fo hard or fcrviceable. Thefe enormous tufks give this animal a very formidable appearance j yet it is thought to be much lefs dangerous than the wild boar. They go together in herds ; often in company with the wild boar, with which, however, they are never known to engender; have a very ftrong fcent, which difcovers them to the hounds; and, when purfued, they growl dreadfully, often turning back upon the dogs, and wounding them with the tufks of the lower jaw, for thofe of the upper are rather an obftruc- tion than a defence, They run much fwifter than the boar ; have a more exquifite fcent, winding the rnen and the dogs at a great diftance. \V'hen hunted clofely, they generally plunge themfelves into the fea, where they fwim with great fwiftnefs and facility, diving, and rifing again at plcafure ; fierce when offended ; peaceable and harmlefs when iinmolefted. They are eafily tamed ; their f^efh gocd, but faid to putrefy in a very fhort time. They rcpofe themfelves by hitching one of their upper tufks on the branch of a tree ; live upon vegetables and the leaves of trees ; never break into gardens, like other fwine ; inhabit pear Amboyna and Celebes, T H S C 49 ) THE DOG KIND MAY be diftinguiflied by their claws, which have no fheath, like thofe of the cat kind, but are incapable of cxtenfion or retrac- tion ; nofe and jaw long ; body ftrongly made, cpvered with hair inftead of fur; tlie inteftines much longer in the dog than in the cat kind ; the eye not formed for night vifion i the olfad:ory nerves difFufed on a very extenfive membrane within the fcull. They cannot, like cats, purfue their prey up trees, and among the branches, as their claws cannot Hick in the bark j but their proper prey are animals like themfelves, unfitted for climbing; the hare, rabbit, gazelle, or roebuck. By their fenfe of fmelling, they purfue their prey with certainty, wind it through all its mazes, and tire it down by perfeverance. When driven to extremity, the dog kinds can live for fome time on fruits and vegetables. Of all the tribe, the Dog claims the preference, as the mod intelli- gent of quadrupeds, and our acknowledged friend. Independent of his beauty, vivacity, force, and fwiftnefs, the dog poflefles internal quali- fications to conciliate our efteem. To pleafe fecms to be his ambition ; he comes crouching to lay his force, courage, and talents, at the feet of his mafter; waits his orders, to which he pays implicit obedience; con- fults his looks, and a fmgle glance puts him in motion ; he is faithful and conftant; friendly and grateful; much more mindful of benefits than of injuries; is not driven off" by unkindnefs ; he licks the hand juft lifted to ftrike him, and difarms refentm.ent by fubmifTive perfeverance ; docile and obedient, he is quickly inftructed, and conforms to the dif- poficions and manners of his mafters ; like the domeftics, is difdainful among the great, churlifli among clowns : afliduous in ferving his mailer, and only a friend to his friends ; knows a beggar by his clothes, his voice, or his geftures, and forbids his approach. When at nighc the guard of the houle is committed to his care, fcems proud of the charge ; continues a watchful centinel, goes his rounds, fcents ftrangers at a dif- tance, and gives them warning of his being upon duty. If they aflaulc his territories, he becomes fierce, flies at them, threatens, fights, and, when he has conquered, quietly aoftains from what he has deterred others from abufing ; at once an example of courage, temperance, and fidelity. No. 22. K Without 50 . QJJ ADRUPEDS. Without the dog, how could man have been able to conquer and donnefticate other animals ? How could he difcover and chafe thofe noxious to him ? The firft art of man was to conciliate the favour of the dog ; and the fruits of this art were, the conqueft and peaceable poflefTion of the earth. The generality of animals have fuperior agility, fwiftnefs, or arms, than man j their fenles> particularly fmelling, are fuperior. 1 he acquifition, therefore, of an affiftant, efpecially one whofe fcentis lb exquifite, was gaining afenfe which before was wanting. The dog, thus taken into office, exerts a fuperiority over all animals under human protedlion. The flock and the herd obey him ; he con- du6bs them, guards them, and confiders their enemies as his own. When the found of the horn, or the voice of the huntfman, calls him to the field, he purfues with pieafure and perfeverance. All animals that live on flelh hunt by nature ; the lion and the tiger, fure to conquer^ hunt alone; the wolf, the fox, the wild dog, hunt in packs; but the domeltic dog, when he has been taught by man, hunts with method, and with fuccefs. The wild dog is at prefent unknown ; yet there are many that, from a domeftic flate, have returned to wildnefs (or rather are without mailers), and entirely purfue the dictates of nature ; of thefe it is af- ferted, .that when they have run down an animal, they ftill preferve fo much refpe«5l for mankind, as to fuffer part to be taken away without growling. Multitudes wild in Africa and South-America; they unite in large bodies, and attack the moil formidable animals of the foreft, the cougar, the panther, and the bifon ; even man himfelf does not pafs without infult. But they are eafily tamed ; when taken home, and treated with kindnefs and lenity, they quickly become fubmifTive and familiar, and continue faithfully attached to their mafters. Dif- ferent in this from the wolf or the fox, who, though taken never fo young, are gentle only while cubs, and, as they grow older, obey their natural appetites of rapine. In fhorr, the dog is the only animal whofe fidelity is unfhaken ; who knows his maftcr and his friends; who in- ftantly diftinguifhes a ftranger; who knows and anfwers to his name; who feems to underftand the nature of fubordination, and feeks afRft- ance ; who, when he mifTes his mafter, teftifies his lofs by complaints ; who, carried to a diftance, can find the way home. The only animal whofe natural talents are always fuccefsfully improved by education. The varieties of this animal are too many for the moft careful de- fcribcr to mention. Climate, food, education, produce alterations ia" 6 fliape. * t H E D O G K I N D. j! {liiape, colour, hair, fize, and in every thing but its nature. Nothing appears conllanc, but internal confornrjation, and a capacity of pro-k ducing among each other, through all their varieties, which determines the identity of the fpecies, and approximates forms that at firft fight feem never made for conjunflion. Which is the original animal is a queftion not eafily folved. Probably that which moft nearly approaches the wolf or the fox externally ; for as the dog nearly refembles them internally, his external refemblance may naturally approach them alfo, except where art or Occident has altered his form. On this principle, we feled: that which is called the Shepherd's Dog, with long coarfe hair, except on the nofe, a long nofe and pricked ears^ which is common among us, and ufed in attending on fheep. If we ex- amine countries ftill favage, or but half civilized, where the dog, like his matter, has received few imprefllons from art, we find this dog, or one very like him, prevailing among them. Dogs that have run wild in America, and in Congo, approach this form. The dog of Siberia^ Lapland, and Iceland, of the Cape of Good Hope, of Madagafcar, Madura, Calicut, and Malabar, refembles the Ihepherd's dog. In Guinea, the dog fpeedily takes this form ; and, at the fecond or third generation, forgets to bark, his ears and his tail become pointed, his hair drops off, and a coarfer thinner kind fucceeds it. Notwithftand- ing this creature's melancholy and favage air, he is fuperior to all of his kind in inftindt; and, without teaching, naturally takes to tending flocks, with afllduity and vigilance. The Ihepherd's dog, in temperate climates, and among people en- tirely civilized, will lofe his favage air, hii pricked ears, his rough, long^ and thick hair, and by the influence of climate and food become either a Matin, a Maftiff, or a Hound. The Hound, the Harrier, and the Beagle feem of one kind ; for in the litters of a bitch covered by one, are found puppies refembling all three. This animal, tranfported into Spain or Barbary, where the hair of all quadrupeds becomes foft and long, will be converted into the land-fpaniel and the water- fpaniel. The Grey Matin Hound (the fecond branch) tranfported to the horth, becomes the great Danifh dog; this, fent into the fouth, be- comes the grey-hound of different fizes ; tranfported into Ireland, the Ukraine, Tartary, Epirus, and Albania, becomes the great wolf-dog. K2 Thi 5z Q^U A D R U P ED S. The Maftiff (the third branch) chiefly a native of England, when tranfported into Denmark, becomes the little Danilh dog j which, in tropical and warm climates, becomes the Turkifti dog without hair. Thefe races, with their varieties, are produced by the influence of cli- mate, food, and education. Mixed kinds are fo extremely numerous, and difi^erent in different countries, it would be endlefs to mention them. In our own country the varieties are very great, and daily increafing. In the time of queen Elizabeth, Dr. Caius attempted their natural hiftory. Some he mentions are no longer found among us, many o:hers are fince introduced. He divides dogs into three kinds. Firfl:, the generous kind, includ- ing the tarrier, the harrier, and the blood-hound ; the gaze hound, the greyhound, the leymmer, and the tumbler^ thefe are ufed for hunting. The fpaniel, the fetter, the water-fpaniel, or finder, for fowling -, and the fpaniel gentle, or lap-dog, for amufement. Secondly, the farm kind, confiding of the fhepherjd's dog and the mafl:ifF. Thirdly, the mongrel kind, confifl:ing of the wappe, the turn-fpit, and the dancer. To thefe we may now adJ, the bull- dog, the Dutch mafl:ifi^, the harlcr quin, the pointer, and the Dane, with a variety of ufelefs lap-dogs. The Tarrier is a fmall kind of hound, with rough hair, ufed to force the fox or the badger out of their holes j or rather to give notice by their baiking, in what part of their kennel the fox or badger refidcs, when the fportfmen intend to dig them out. The Harrier, as well as the Beagle and the Fox-hound are ufed for hunting ; of all animals, they have the acuteft fenfe of fmelling. The Blood hound was of great ufe, and high efteem among our an- ceftors, for recovering game that had efcaped wounded, or had been killed, and fiolen ; and for hunting thieves and robbers by their footfteps. The Gaze-hound hunted, like our grey-hounds, by the eye only ; chafed the fox, hare, or buck ; would feled the fatted and faireft, and, if lofl:, recover it again with amazing fagacity. This fpecies is now unknown. The Grey hound, well known at prefent, was formerly the peculiar compmion of a gentleman ; who, in the times of femi-barbarifm, was known by his horff, his hawk, and his grey-hound. The Leymmer is a fpecies now unknown. It hunted both by fcent and fight, and was led in a leymc cr thong, from whence it received its name, Th^ THEDOGKIND. 5j The Tumbler, lefs than the hound, fcraggy, and had pricked ears, feems to anfwcr to the lurcher. This took its prey by mere cunning. The Land-Spaniel (probably named from Spain, where it m.ight ac- quire the foftnefs of its hairj is well known. There are two varieties j the Starter, ufed in hawking to fpring game, and the Setter, that crouches down when it fcents the birds, till the net be drawn over them, an amufement known only in England. The Water-Spaniel was another fpccies ufed in fowling. The Shepherd's Dcg has been mentioned, and the MaftifF is too common to require defcription. The Bull-Dog, Mr. Buffon fuppofes, is bred between the fmall Dane and the Englifh maRiff. The large Dane is the tailed dog generally- bred in England. Of thofe of the foreign kinds, the Lion Dog greatly refembles that animal, in miniature. The hair on the fore part of the body is ex- tremely Jong ; on the hinder part Ihort. The nofe is fnort, the tail long and tufted. In thefe particulars entirely like the lion. It comes originally from Malta, where it is fo fmall, that women carry it about in their fleeves. That falfcly called the Turkifh Dog, differs in being entirely without hair. The fkin is of a flelh colour, with brown fpots, and their figure at firft view rather difgufting. They are extremely chilly, unable to endure our climate, and in the midft of fumm.cr always Ihivering; in winter their fpots entirely difappear. The Great Irilh Woif-Dog may be confidercd as the firfl: of the fpe- cies in re&'rd to fize, being fomecimes four feet high, or as tall as a calf of a year old ; made like a greyhound, but rather more robull. In China are dog-butchers, and fhambies appointed for felling their flcfh. In Canton particularly; and wherever a dog-butcher appears, all the dogs of the place follow him in full cry, and perfccutc him as far as they are able. The dog, when whelped, is not complete, the eyes being clofed by a kind of thin membrane, which is torn as foon as the upper eye-lid be- com.es ftiong enough to raife it, which in general requires ten or twelve days. During that tim.e, the bones of the fcull are not completed, the body is puffed up, and the nofe fhort. In lefs than a month the puppy begins to v.ih its fenfes, and makes hafty advances. At the fourth month the dog lofes fome of his teeth, which are renewed by fuch as never fall. Thefe am.cunt to forty-two. The teeth of the dog being his great 54 Q^U ADRUPEDS. great and only weapon, are formed in the mod ferviceable manner. He cuts with his incifors, or fore- teeth, he holds with his four great canine teeth, and he chews with his grinders j thefe are fourteen in number, and fo placed thar, when the jaws are fhut, there remains a diftance between them, fo that the dog, by opening his mouth ever fo wide, does not lofe the power of his jaws. Tne bitch goes nine weeks with young; lives to about twelve years. Will not eat many, kinds of birds; is voracious, yet can bear hunger long; drinks often, though not abundantly j and it is commonly believed, that when abridged in water, he runs mad ; but perhaps not fo often as has been aflferted. THE WOLF. THE Dog and the Wolf are very much alike internally, and ex- ternally fome dogs rather refemble the wolf than each other. The wolf is about three feet feven inches long, and about two {