Occafions, and Need of Security. Accordingly, fome are fufficiently guarded against all common Dangers, by their natural Cloathing, by their Armature of Shells, or fuch like hard, and impregnable Covering of their Body (c). Others deftitute of this Guard, are armed, fome with Horns (d), fome with fharp Quills and Prickles (e), fome with Claws,

pus, fed inerme. Timidis enim velocitas, arma audacibus conHomini autem (fapiens enim efl

manus

veniebant. dedit, inftrumentum ad omnes artes neceffarium, paci non minùs quàm bello idoneum. Non igitur indiguit Cornu fibi innato cùm meliora Cornibus arma manibus, quandocunque vo let, poffit accipere: Etenim Enfis & Hafta majora funt Arma, & ad incidendum promptiora.. ·Neque Cornu, neque Ungula quicquam nifi cominùs agere poffunt; Hominum vero arma eminùs juxtà ac cominùs agunt: telum quidem & fagitta magis quàm cornua. Non igitur eft nudus, neque inermis. fed ipfi eft Thorax ferreus, quandocunque libet, omnibus Coriis difficilius fauciatu organum. Nec Thorax folùm fed & Domus, & Murus, & Turris, &c. Galen. de Uf. Part. 1. 1.

C. 2.

3

(c) Shells deferve a Place in this Survey, upon the Account of their great Variety; the curious and uncouth Make of fome, and the beautiful Colours, and pretty, Ornaments of others; but it would be endlefs to defcend to Particulars. Omitting others, I fhall therefore only take Notice of the Tortoiseshell, by Reafon a great deal of Dexterity appears, even in the Simplicity of that Animal's Skeleton. "For, befides that the Shell is a ftout Guard to the Body, and affords a fafe Retreat to the Head, Legs and Tail, which it withdraws within the Shell upon any Danger; besides this, I fay, the Shell fupplieth the Place of all the Bones in the Body, except thofe of the extreme Parts, the Head and Neck, and the four Legs and Tail. So that at firft Sight, it is fomewhat furprizing to fee a compleat Skeleton confifting of fo fmall a Number of Bones, and they abundantly fufficient for the Creature's Ufe.

(d) Dente timentur Apri: defendunt cornua Tauros:
Imbelles Dama quid nifi prada fumus?

Martial. 1. 13. Epigr. 94.

(e) The Hedghog being an helplefs, flow, and patient Animal, is accordingly guarded with Prickles, and a Power of rolling it felf up in them. Clavis terebrari fibi pedes, & dif

cindi

Claws, fome with Stings (f); fome can shift and change their Colours (g); fome can make their Escape by the Help of their Wings, and others by

the

cindi vifcera patientiffimè ferebat, omnes cultri ictus fine gemitu plufquam Spartanâ nobilitate concoquens. Borrichius in Blaf. de Echino. Panniculum carnofum amplexabatur Mufculus panè circularis, admiranda fabrica, lacinias fuas ad pedes, caudam, caput, variè exporrigens, cujus minifterio Echinus fe ad arbitrium in orbem contrahit. A&. Dan. in Blafio.

Ifte licèt digitos teftudine pungat acutâ,

Cortice depofito mollis Echinus erit. Mart. 1. 13. Epig. 86. (f) The Sting of a Wafp, or Bee, &c. is fo pretty a Piece of Work, that it is worth taking Notice of, fo far as I have not found others to have spoken of it. Others have obferv'd the Sting to be an hollow Tube, with a Bag of fharp penetrating Juices, (its Poifon,) joined to the End of it, within the Body of the Wafp, which is, in Stinging, injected into the Flesh through the Tube. But there are befides this, two fmall, fharp, bearded Spears, lying within this Tube or Sting, as in a Sheath. In a Wafp's Sting, I counted eight Beards on the Side of each Spear, fomewhat like the Beards of Fifh-hooks. Thefe Spears in the Sting, or Sheath, lie one with its Point a little before that of the other; as is reprefented in Fig. 21. to be ready, (I conceive,) to be firft darted into the Flesh; which being once fix'd, by Means of its foremost Beard, the other then trikes in too, and fo they alternately pierce deeper and deeper, their Beards taking more and more hold in the Flesh; after which the Sheath or Sting follows, to convey the Poifon into the Wound. Which, that it may pierce the Better, it is drawn into a Point, with a fmall Slit a little below that Point, for the two Spears to come out at. By Means of this pretty Mechanism in the Sting, it is, that the Sting when out of the Body, and parted from it, is able to pierce and fting us: And by Means of the Beards being lodged deep in the Flefh, it comes to pass that Bees leave their Stings behind them, when they are difturbed before they have Time to withdraw their Spears into their Scabbard. In Fig. 21. is represented the two Spears as they lie in the Sting. In Fig. 22. the two Spears are reprefented when fqueez'd out of the Sting, or the Scabbard; in which Latter, Fig. A cb, is the Sting, ed, and be, the two bearded Spears thruft out.

(g) The Camelion is fufficiently fam'd on, this Account. Befides which, Pliny tells us of a Beaft as big as an Ox, called the Tarandus, that when he pleaseth, affumes the Colour

of

the Swiftness of their Feet; fome can fcreen themfelves by diving in the Waters, others by tinging and difordering the Waters (b), can make their Elcape, and fome can guard their Bodies, even in the very Flames, by the Ejection of the Juice of their Bodies (i); and fome by their accurate Smell, Sight or Hearing, can foresee Dangers (k); others

of an Afs, and Colorem omnium fruticum, arborum, florum, locorumque reddit, in quibus latet metuens, ideoque rarò capitur. Plin. 1. 8. c. 34. 1..

་་་

How true this is, there may be fome Reafon to doubt; but if any Truth be in the Story, it may be from the Animal's chufing fuch Company, or Places, as are agreeable to its Colour: As I have feen in divers Caterpillars, and other Infects, who I believe were not able to change their Colour, from one Colour to another; yet I have conftantly obferv'd, do fix themselves to fuch Things as are of the fame Colour by which Means they dodge the Spectator's Eye. Thus the Caterpillar that feeds on Elder, I have more than once feen, fo cunningly adhering to the fmall Branches of the fame. Colour, that it might be eafily mistaken for a fmall Stick, even by a careful View. So a large green Caterpillar, that feeds on Buckthorn, and divers others. To which I may add the prodigious Sagacity of the Ichneumon Flies, that make the Kermes, (for of that Tribe all the Kermes 1 ever faw was ;) how artificially they not only inclofe their Eggs within that gummy Skin, or Shell; but also fo well humour the Colour of the Wood they adhere to, by various Streaks and Colours, that it is not eafie to diftinguish them from the Wood it felf.

(b) Contra metum & vim, fuis fe armis quaque defendit. Cornibus Tauri, Apri dentibus, morfu Leones, alia fugâ fe, alia occultatione tutantur: atramenti effufione Sepia, torpore Torpedines. Multa etiam infectantes odoris intolerabili fœditate depellunt. Cic. de Nat. Deor. 1. 2. c. 50.

(1) A Knight call'd Corvini at Rome, cast a Salamander into the Fire, which prefently fwell'd, and then vomited Store of thick flimy Matter, which put out the Coals; to which the Salamander prefently retir'd, putting them out again in the fame Manner, as foon as they re-kindled, and by this Means fav'd it felf from the Force of the Fire for the Space of two Hours: After which it liv'd nine Months. Vid. Philof. Tranfact. No. 21. in Lowth. Abridg. Vol. 2. p. 816. (k) Pliny gives an Inftance in each. L. 1o. c. 69. R

Aquila clariùs

thers by their natural Craft, can prevent or escape them (1); others by their Uncouth Noife (m); by the horrid Afpect, and ugly Gefticulations of their Body (n); and fome even by the Power of their Excrements, and their Stink (0), can annoy

clariùs cernunt [quàm homines;] Vultures fagaciùs odorantur: liquidiùs audiunt Talpa obruta terrâ, tam denfo atque furdo natura elemento.

(1) The Doubling of the Hare, before he goes to Form, thereby to dodge and deceive the Dogs, although a vulgar Obfervation, is a notable Instinct for an Animal, less fam'd for Cunning than the Fox, and fome others.

(m) It is natural for many Quadrupeds, Birds and Serpents, not only to put on a torvous angry Afpect, when in Danger; but alfo to fnarl, hifs, or by fome other Noise deter their Adverfary.

(a) The lynx, or Wryneck, although a Bird of very beautiful Feathers, and confequently far enough off from being any way terrible; yet being in Danger, hath fuch odd Contortions of its Neck, and Motions of its Head, that I remember have fcar'd me, when I was a Boy, from taking their Nefts, or touching the Bird; daring no more to venture my Hand into their Holes, than if a Serpent had lodged in it.

(0) Bonafus tuetur fe calcibus & ftercore, quòd ab fe quaternis paffibus [trium jugerum longitudine. Plin. Nat. Hift. 1. 8. c. 15.] ejaculatur, quod fape comburit adeò ut deglabrentur canes. Ray's Synopf. Quadr. p. 71.

Camelus Peruvianus Clama dictus neminem offendit, fed miro admodum ingenio fe ab illatâ vindicat injuriâ, nimirum vomitu vel cibi, vel humoris in vexantem retrorfum cum impetu ejaculato, ob protenfam colli longitudinem. Id. ib. p. 146.

Tzquiepal (Anglicè Squnck Præf. and one that I faw they call'd a Stonck, Cùm quis eam infectatur, fundit cum ventris crepitu halitum fœtidiffimum: quin ipfa tota teterrimum exhalat odorem, & urina ftercufque eft fætidiffimum, atque adeò peftilens, ut nihil fit reperire in noftro orbe, cui in hac re poffit comparari: quo fit, ut in periculo conftituta, urinam & faces ad 8 pluriumve paffuum intervallum ejiciat, hoc modo fe ab omnibus vindicans injuriis, ac veftes inficiens maculis luteis indelebilibus, & nunquam fatis perfpirante odore: aliàs innoxium Animal eduleque, hac folâ ratione horrendiffimum. Id. ib. p. 182.

Si Accipiter Ardeam in fublimi moleftat, ftercore immiffo in pennas ejus, eas putrefcere facit: utì Solinus feribit de Bonafo, &c Ita & Lupus urinam fpargit in perfequentem. Ol. Mag. Hift. 1. 19. c. 14.

their Enemy, and fecure themselves; and against fome (p), the divine Providence it felf hath provided a Guard.

By fuch Shifts and Means as thefe, a fufficient Guard is miniftred to every Species of Animals, in its proper respective Place; abundantly enough to fecure the Species from Deftruction, and to keep up that Balance, which I have formerly fhew'd, is in the World among every, and all the Species of Animals; but yet not enough to fecure Individuals, from becoming a Prey to Man,, or to other Creatures, as their Neceffities of Life require. To which Purpose, the natural Sagacity and Craft of the one intrapping (9), and captivating, being in fome Measure equivalent to that of the other in evading, is as excellent a Means for the maintaining the one, as preferving the other; and if well confider'd, argues the Contrivance of the infinitely wife Creator and Preferver of the World.

(p) Thus against the Crocodile, which can catch its Prey only before it, not on one Side. So the Shark, of which take my often-commended Friend Sir Hans Sloane's Observation: It hath this particular to it, with fome others of its own Tribe; that the Mouth is in its under Part, fo that it must turn the Belly upwards to Prey. And was it not for that Time it is in turning, in which the purfu'd Fishes escape, there would be nothing that could avoid it; for it is very quick in Swimming, and hath a vaft Strength, with the largest Swallow of any Fish, and is very devouring. Sloane's Voyage to Jamaica, p. 23. (q) See Chap. 11. Note (iii).