glect, because in the prefent inquiry, thefe queftions, however abftrufe, must be difcuffed.

As many animals, befide man, are social, it appeared to me probable, that the focial laws by which fuch animals are governed, might open views into the focial nature of man. But here I met with a fecond disappointment: for after perufing books without end, I found very little fatisfaction; though the laws of animal fociety make the most inftructive and moft entertaining part of natural history. A few dry facts, collected occafionally, enabled me to form the embryo of a plan, which I here prefent to the reader if his curiofity be excited, 'tis well; for I am far from expecting that it will be gratified.

Animals of prey have no appetite for fociety, if the momentary act of copulation be not excepted. Wolves make not an exception, even where hunger makes them join to attack a village: as fear prevents them fingly from an attempt fo hazardous, their cafual union is prompted by appetite for food, not by appetite for fociety. So little of the focial is there in wolves, that if one happen to be wounded,

he

he is put to death and devoured by thofe of his own kind. Vultures have the fame difpofition. Their ordinary food is a dead carcafe; and they never venture, but in a body, to attack any living creature that appears formidable. Upon fociety happinefs fo much depends, that we do not willingly admit a lion, a tiger, a bear, or a wolf, to have any appetite for fociety. And in with-holding it from fuch animals, the goodness of Providence to its favourite man, is confpicuous: their ftrength, agility, and voracity, make them fingly not a little formidable: I fhould tremble for the human race, were they difpofed to make war in company*.

Such

The care of Providence in protecting the human race from animals of prey, is equally visible in other particulars. I can discover no facts to make me believe, that a lion or a tiger is afraid of a man ; but whatever fecret means are employed by Providence to keep fuch fierce and voracious animals at a distance, certain it is, that they fhun the habitations of men. At prefent there is not a wild lion in Europe. Even in Homer's time there were none in Peloponnefus, though they were frequent in Thrace, Macedon, and Theffaly, down to the time of Aristotle: whence it is probable, that these countries were not at that time well peopled. And the fame probability holds with refpect to several

moun

Such harmless animals as are unable to defend themselves fingly, are provided with an appetite for fociety, that they may defend themselves in a body. Sheep are remarkable in that refpect, when left

mountainous parts in China, which even at present are infested with tigers. When men and cattle are together, a lion always attacks a beaft, and never a man. If we can rely on Bofman, a tiger in Guinea will not touch a man if there be a four-footed beast in sight. M. Buffon obferves, that the bear, though far from being cowardly, never is at eafe but in wild and defart places. The great condor of Peru, a bird of prey of an immense size, bold and rapacious, is never seen but in defarts and high mountains. Every river in the coaft of Guinea abounds with crocodiles, which lie basking in the fun during the heat of the day. If they perceive a man approaching, they plunge into the river, though they feldom fly from any other animal. A fox, on the contrary, a pole-cat, a kite, though afraid of man, draw near to inhabited places where they find prey in plenty. Such animals do little mischief; and the little they do, promotes care and vigilance. But if men, like sheep, were the natural prey of a lion or a tiger, their utmoft vigour and fagacity would fcarce be fufficient for self-defence. Perpetual war would be their fate, without having a fingle moment for any other occupation; and they must for ever have continued in a brutish state. It is poffible that a few cattle might be protected by armed men, continually on the watch; but to defend flocks and herds covering a hundred hills, would be impracticable. Agriculture could never have existed in any shape.

to

to nature a ram feldom attacks; but the rams of a flock exert great vigour in defending their females and their young Two of Bakewell's rams, brought to Langholm in the Duke of Buccleugh's eftate, kept close together. The one was taken ill, and died, the other gave clofe attendance, ftood befide the dead body, and abftained from food for fome days: nor did it recover its spirits for a long time. The whole fociety of rooks join in attacking a

*M. Buffon has bestowed lefs pains than becomes an author of his character, upon the nature and inftincts of animals. He scarce once ftumbles upon truth in his natural history of the sheep. He holds it to be ftupid, and incapable to defend itself against any beaft of prey; maintaining, that the race could not have fubfifted but under the care and protection of men. Has that au. thor forgot, that sheep had no enemy more formidable than men in their original hunter-state? Far from being neglected by nature, there are few animals better provided for defence. They have a fort of military in ftinct, forming a line of battle, like foldiers, when threatened with an attack. The rams, who, in a natural state, make half of the ftock, join together; and no lion or tiger is able to refift their united impetuofity. A ram, educated by a foldier, accompanied his master to the battle of Culloden. When a cannon was fired, it rejoiced and run up to it. It actually began the battle, advancing before the troops, and attacking fome dogs of the highland army.

VOL. II.

X

kite,

kite, when it hovers about them. A family of wild fwine never feparate, till the young be fufficiently ftrong to defend themselves against the wolf; and when the wolf threatens, they all join in a body. The pecary is a fort of wild hog in the ifthmus of Darien: if one of them be attacked, the reft run to affift it. There being a natural antipathy between that animal and the American tiger, it is not uncommon to find a tiger flain with a number of pecaries round him.

The focial appetite is to fome animals ufeful, not only for defence, but for procuring the neceffarics of life. Society among beavers is a notable inftance of both. As water is the only refuge of that innocent fpecies against an enemy, they inftinctively make their fettlement on the brink of a lake or of a running ftream. In the latter cafe, they keep up the water to a proper height by a dam-dike, conftructed with fo much art as to withstand the greatest floods in the former, they fave themselves the labour of a dam-dike, because a lake generally keeps at the same height. Having thus provided for defence, their next care is to provide food

and