"Order is Heaven's first law; and, this confess'd, 1152. Why does the sea saline matter? contain a certain proportion of These saline matters have the effect of raising the freezing point, and diminishing the tendency to give off vapours; and, also, because it renders the water more buoyant, and thus makes it better fitted to support the animals which it contains. [The Author finds himself reluctantly compelled to omit the various Orders comprising the Division MOLLUSCA. The Entomological series alone would supply matter for a highly interesting volume; and in the hope that he may be soon able to present such a work to his readers, the Author will close his present labours, with a few questions of leading application.] 1153. Why has every race of animals its appointed enemy, or enemies? Because birth, life, and death, constitute the order of nature appointed by a Divine Being. This order established, it may be accepted that the Infinite Wisdom whose works exhibit such marvellous adaptation and perfection, has chosen the best means to a necessary end. The death of an animal, as the prey of an appointed superior, is doubtless a more rapid and painless process than we, with a dread of death, conceive. 1154. Paley reasons upon this proposition in a conclusive manner :-"Perhaps there is no species of terrestrial animals whatever, which would not overrun the earth if it were permitted to multiply in perfect safety; or of a fish which would not fill the ocean: at least, if any single species were left to their natural increase without disturbance or restraint, the food of other species would be exhausted by their maintenance, "It is necessary, therefore, that the effects of such prolific faculties be curtailed. In conjunction with other checks and limits, all subservient to the same purpose, are the thinnings which take place among animals by their action upon one another. In some instances, we ourselves experience, very directly, the use of these hostilities. One species of insects rids us of another species, or reduces their ranks; a third species, perhaps, keeps the second within bounds; and birds or lizards are a fence against the inordinate increase by which even these might infest us." To this may be added, that MAN alone appears to be without a natural enemy, gifted with a special instinct and an organization intended to effect his conquest. "Cease, then, nor order imperfection name : Our proper bliss depends on what we blame."-POPE. The web of the spider is a beautiful contrivance, evidently designed to ensnare flies. The scent by which the stoat pursues the rabbit; the teeth with which the former perforates the neck of its victim, and the instinct which guides it to attack the neck, are three special means bestowed for a given end. The gaping mouths of swallows and night-jars are manifestly conceived for the purpose of capturing insects in the most certain manner. Although man is born the most defenceless of all creatures, there is not a single animal gifted with an instinct to pursue him, and armed with weapons adapted to give effect to that instinct. The elephant, the lion, and the tiger, although endowed with strength by which they could immediately crush him, all retire from and avoid his presence, unless he trespasses upon their haunts, or they are driven to extremities of rage or hunger by restraints which he imposes upon them. Regarded as enemies to man, their armatures are too formidable: the tusks of the elephant, and the talons or teeth of the lion and tiger, might be dispensed with, and they would still be immensely his superiors in the balance of natural powers. Even the vermin that sometimes surround and annoy man, are the enemies of his negligence and vices, and not of himself. On the contrary, the whole of the animal creation, in some form or other, are friends of man, and contributors to his need. In five generations one aphis may produce 5,000,000,000, and there are 20 generations in a year. The numbers are beyond calculation. 1156. Why does the duration of life of different tribes greatly vary? The longevity of animal races appears to be in the inverse ratio of their fecundity. The wisdom of this arrangement is "NO MORE THE PATHS OF MISTY DOUBT I TROD: apparent if musquitoes and locusts, prolific as they are, were appointed to live from a quarter to half a century, in spite of all existing natural checks, they would render every other form of existence impossible. If lions and tigora living for half a century, and possessed of enormous powers, were to multipy as rapidly as insects, they would overrun creation, unless, indeed, they destroyed each other. 1157. TABLE OF THE LIFE PERIODS OF VARIOUS ANIMALS. INDEX. 1102 The numbers, except where otherwise indicated, refer to Acanthoptera, a-kan-thop'-ter-a, Accipetres, ack-sip'-e-ters, why the 647 1016 Age, why is the human body hard Ass, why better kept on commons than in pastures 501 Ai, a'-i, why so called 403 Ass, why is the milk of, best for Alligator, why, so called 1012 invalids 502 American, why the race so called Amphibia, am-fib'-e-a, why is the Anchovies, what are they Badgers, why erroneous to sup- 5 Avocet, a-vo'-set, why is its bill 903 239 1088 1061 Animal bodies, why the variation Animals, why do some undergo a Animals, why has every race its Badger, modes adopted of taking 243 107€ 1153 Barbel, why is the first ray of its ... Barbel, why do small fish attend it 1079 1077 1078 185 422 186 423 187 Ant-eaters, why of great import- ance in nature 424 Bats, why do they fly by night 189 188 Bats, use of 190 Apes, how are they distinguished Bats, why do they hybernate 191 172 Bats compared with moles 194 |