The knowledge of mere Animals (who have no School for Arts and Sciences)
is most surprising; these without visible Instructors, know how to
perpetuate their Species to the End of the World; and how to order their
Eggs, as those, who are apprized, their Successors were contained in
them, and that it was in their power to produce them, and to perpetuate,
or keep up the Name of their Family.
The Serpentine Animals are thus taught by Nature; these differ in the
Mode of Propagation; some of them are _viviparous_, an Epithet applied
to such Animals, who lay their Eggs within their Bellies, who bring
forth their Young Ones alive and perfect, as Vipers, Sheep, Hares;
others are _oviparous_, and bring forth their Young from Eggs, as
Serpents, Snakes, Lizards, Frogs, Salmon, Tortoise, Herrings, _&c._[7]
Footnote 7:
_Omnia ab ovo animalia._
In this Contrivance of Male and Female, and different Method of
Multiplication for perpetuating the Species, we may see an admirable
Instance of divine Wisdom: But for this Difference in Sexes, there would
be no Increase of Serpents nor other Animals. The oviparous and
viviparous Manner of Propagation is as wonderful; for,
Were they all _viviparous_, that is, brought forth living Births, there
would be but a small Number, and not sufficient to support the whole
animal Body: Corn, Grass, Fruits, _&c._ are no Production of the Sea,
therefore can be no Food for Fish: The Almighty Creator so ordained it,
that they should feed one upon another; and this made it necessary that
they should be _oviparous_, that they might increase in great Plenty,
which they could not do, if they were of the _viviparous_ Kind; that is,
brought forth their living Offspring, as Vipers, Sheep, Hares, Cows do.
But Fish being _oviparous_, propagating their Kind by Eggs, which, for
Number, are infinite, their Progeny is innumerable, and sufficient to
support all the Branches of the Marine Family; even the lesser Kind of
Fish send forth an incredible Number of Spawn.
On the other hand, if four-footed Beasts were propagated by Eggs, they
would soon cover the Face of the Earth, without a daily Destruction of
them, which would take up no little time, tho’ an _Army of Nimrods_ were
employed. Birds increase by Eggs, and bring forth great Numbers; and
perhaps, for this reason, that Birds of Prey and Serpents, Kitchens,
_&c._ might not want proper Supplies. Now, if a Female Bird was great
with six or twelve Young Ones at once, the Burden would be intolerable,
her Wings would fail, and she would become an easy Prey to her Enemies.
But you will say, what if they brought forth only one or two at a time,
till they amounted to the usual Number of their Eggs? I answer, that
then they would be troubled all the Year long with feeding their Young,
or bearing them in their Womb.
This Production of Creatures by Eggs, is a wonderful Phænomenon in the
animal World; the Eggs are shelly and hard, to preserve the included
Embryo from Accidents, and to contain suitable Nutriment for it. ’Tis
observable that Chickens, while in their dark embryotick State, are
nourished by the _White_ alone, till grown big, and then feed on the
_Yolk_, as the stronger Diet; and, when that is consumed, the Shell
opens, and lets out the Prisoners.
Though all Fowl are hatched from Eggs, yet it is not always by the
Parent’s Incubation, or Brooding, but by some other Warmth: The
_Tortoise_ is said to lay no less than fifteen hundred Eggs, which she
covers in the Sand, and leaves the Sun to hatch them. The Eggs of the
_Ostrich_[8] are hatched after the same manner; so the Serpent lays, and
leaves her Eggs in the Dunghill.
Footnote 8:
_Job_ xxxix. 14, 15. _Willoughby’s Ornithol._ _lib._ ii. _cap._ 8.
The _Eggs_ of Serpents, and certain other Animals, are Parts formed in
the Ovaries of the Female, covered with a Shell, which includes an
Embryo of the same Species. In the days of old, the Egg was the Symbol
of the World; the World, by Tradition, being made of an _Egg_: Hence
Eggs became of singular Importance in the Sacrifices of _Cybele_ the
Mother of the Gods. Some of the Pagan Deities were said to be produced
from Eggs.
In some Parts of _Asia_, and at _Grand Cairo_ in _Egypt_, they hatch
their Chickens in Ovens; each Oven contains several thousand Eggs which
the Country brings in, and have their Eggs returned in Chickens.
By this Method, they generally want some integral Part, as an Eye, a
Claw, _&c._ which may be owing to a Want of equal Impression of Heat,
tho’ the artificial Warmth be continued. There are thousands, yea
Millions at a Batch, thus produced in _Egyptian Ovens_;—and may as well
be in _Europe_, if our Bakers had the knack on’t. An Experiment has been
made by a _Duke of Tuscany_, who having built such Ovens, did produce
living Chickens in the same manner.
Under this _Section_, I shall consider the wonderful Sagacity of
Serpents, in chusing their Paths for Deambulation, and finding out
proper Receptacles for their Repose and Security in Winter; and that in
Climates that are Opposites in their Nature.
In Summer, generally speaking, they are found in solitary and
unfrequented dry Situations; others delight in moorish fenny Grounds;
and in hot Countries, near to Groves, Rivulets—These, like other
Animals, strictly adhere to the Constitutions of their Family, without
Deviation.
They take up their Winter-Quarters in Caverns, hollow Places, Burrows,
Rocks, old Hedges, and under the Roots of Vegetables, especially the
Birch, others say Beech-Trees, which were consecrated by the Pagans to
the supreme Numen.
In these lonesome Habitations they repose themselves during the Winter,
in a kind of sleepy State, as half dead, with _open Eyes_[9]. In this
Solitude they lie dormant, indulg’d with a little humid Air, till the
Sun, by its Entrance into the northern Constellations, restores them to
the active Life; without some Air they could not live. Mr. _Boyle_ made
the experiment, by putting Vipers into the exhausted Receiver, which
soon died upon pumping out the Air.
Footnote 9:
_Apertis Oculis._ Conrad. Gesner. pag. 3. _de Serp._
It argues no little Penetration, that they know when and how to shelter
themselves in Places of Safety in all Seasons; and what is yet more
astonishing, is, that they live there so many Months without Food and
without Action; and when released from their hybernal Confinement, how
soon do they find out their appointed Food? Taken in this light, they
are not singular; for ’tis believed, there are other Animals that pass
the Winter-Season in a state of Indolence and Inactivity, as Cuckows and
Swallows, making way by their Retreat for Woodcocks and Fieldfares,
which visit us in Winter, and then return northwards: They are said to
breed in colder Countries, as _Norway_, _Russia_, _Sweden_, and the
_Islands of Orcades_, the most northern Parts of _Scotland_; which
Islands were formerly in possession of the _Norwegians_, and given and
annex’d to _Scotland_ by _Christiern_ I. King of _Denmark_ and _Norway_,
on the Marriage of his Daughter _Margaret_, with _James_ III. King of
_Scotland_, about the Year 1474.
It is probable, that when these northern Countries are buried in Snow,
and their Rivers are frozen up, these Birds take their Flight hither,
and such like Places, where they have access to Water, _&c._ But as to
Cuckows and Swallows, as intimated above, ’tis generally allow’d that
they sleep in Winter, having, as ’tis said, been found in hollow Trees
and Caverns. Nor is this at all unlikely; tho’ on the other hand, I can
see no Absurdity in supposing that these should go upon a Summer, as the
other do upon a Winter Pilgrimage; that these pursue a lesser Heat, as
well as the others fly from a greater Cold. Yea, _Vegetables_ are said
to _sleep in Winter_, and to be awake and lively in Summer: During the
Months of their Rest, a quantity of Oil is laid up in them for their
Defence against the Cold, and in proportion to the Degrees of it, which
they are to sustain; whence it is, that the Trees of the northern
Climates so much abound with Oil.
On the other hand, there are _Reptiles_ and _Insects_ that have Sense
enough to lay up Winter-Store in Summer, as the _Bee_, _Wasp_,
_Field-Mouse_, _&c._ a Property foreign to the ancient House of
Serpents.
In Summer, the _Bees_ labor hard for Winter Provision: As soon as the
Air grows mild and warm, they are out betimes, and gather their Harvest
from the Simples of the Fields, which they suck into their Bodies, and
upon their Return to the Hive they disgorge it, as Pigeons do their Food
wherewith they feed their Young. When the Bees have fill’d their
Storehouse with the Delicacies of Nature, they lock the Doors, which
they seal up with delicate white Wax, to prevent the Emanation of the
Honey, which is a vegetable Juice: The Combs in which their Treasure is
lodg’d, are geometrically nice, and exceed the most exquisite Art of
Man.
The Ants also in this respect, are remarkable for Penetration and
Foresight. In _America_ are Ants which raise Hillocks four or five Foot
high, and have such a way of cementing the Earth about them, that ’tis
as firm as Lime and Stone, which protects them against the _Ant-Bears_,
or Pismire-eaters; _i. e._ a kind of Creatures as big as Dogs, that feed
on these Insects.
One observes, that the _Spaniards_ left _Jamaica_, and went to _Cuba_,
for this Reason among others, because their Childrens Eyes were eaten by
these Ants, when left by themselves in the Cradle[10].
Footnote 10:
Sir _Hans Sloan_’s _Introduction to his Voyage_, p. 68.
Ceylon in the _East-Indies_ produces several sorts of remarkable Ants,
particularly a large red kind, which make their Nests on the Boughs of
great Trees, with Leaves wrapt together in Clusters, in which they lay
their Eggs: And another sort call’d _Vacos_, whose Hinder-part is white,
and the Head red; these swarm over the Land and devour every thing, but
Stone and Iron: They creep on House-walls, and always build an Arch over
themselves; on these their Poultry live chiefly; some of them bite
desperately.
To these I might add the _Wasps_, that have their Winter-Treasures in
subterranean Cells, and the Field-mice that know the proper Season to
gather Acorns, which they carefully hide in hollow Places, (as
Mole-runs) in the Earth. Thus we see no Creatures so mean in our View,
but a Ray of divine Wisdom shines in their Foresight and Contrivance:
When we consider how wonderfully these inferior Creatures are conducted
in their Operations, how punctually they obey the Laws of their Creator,
how solicitously every one propagates his Kind, and makes proper
Provisions for his Family; it looks as if it were done by some Principle
that’s more perfect than the common Reason of Man. Nevertheless ’tis
past doubt, that Brutes of the highest Order, and most refin’d, are but
Brutes, _i. e._ irrational, and it’s well for us they are so.
This is call’d _Instinct_, a natural Disposition, or Sagacity wherewith
Animals are endued; by virtue whereof they are enabled to provide for
themselves, know what is good for them, and are determin’d to propagate
and preserve their Species. _Instinct_ bears some Analogy to Reason or
Understanding, and supplies the Defect of it in Brutes. The Narrative of
_Eve_’s Temptation begins with affirming, _The Serpent was more subtle
than any Beast of the Field_. And _Christ_ recommends the Wisdom of the
Serpent, but not without the Innocence of the Dove.
The Proofs of its Subtilty are not so obvious; some produce such as
these, telling us, that the Serpent _Cerastes_ hides itself in the Sand,
with a view to bite the Horse’s Foot that he might throw the Rider.
_Jacob_ seems to allude to this, in the Blessing he gave to _Dan_, of
whom ’tis said, _Dan shall be a Serpent by the Way, an Adder in the
Path, that bites the Horse’s Heels, so that his Rider shall fall
backward_. Gen. xlix. 17. But more in Part third.
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