File:Animal and vegetable physiology, considered with reference to natural theology (1836) (14762408164).jpg

Identifier: animalvegetable01roge (find matches)
Title: Animal and vegetable physiology, considered with reference to natural theology
Year: 1836 (1830s)
Authors: Roget, Peter Mark, 1779-1869
Subjects: Biology Physiology Plant physiology Natural theology
Publisher: Philadelphia, Carey, Lea & Blanchard
Contributing Library: NCSU Libraries
Digitizing Sponsor: NCSU Libraries

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tence, while shehas still preserved their relations to the primitive type ofthe class to which they belong. Thus has she bestowedupon them the slender and elegant forms, so pleasing to theeye, which characterize the fleetest racer, and has providedfor the agile, yet firm and secure movements which they areto exercise in various ways in eluding the observation, andescaping from the pursuit of their stronger and more saga-cious foes. This purpose they efiect, at one time by rapidflight across extensive tracts of country; at another, by re-tirement into unfrequented forests, or mountains of difficultaccess, crossing their rugged surfaces in all directions, clam-bering their precipitous acclivities, and fearlessly boundingover intervening abysses, from point to point, till the placeof safety is attained on some rocky eminence. From this 350 THE MECHANICAL FUNCTIONS. secure station the Alpine chamois looks down upon its pur-suers, and defies their farther efforts at capture or molestation.
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The astonishing feats of agility practised by this animal, andby which the most experienced hunters are perpetually baf- RUMINANT QUADRUPEDS. 351 fled in their attempts to approach it, sufliciently attest theperfection of its orj^anization in reference to all these ob-jects. The chamois has often been seen to leap down a per-pendicular precipice of twenty or thirty feet in hei<rht,without sustaining the slightest injury. How the ligamentsthat bind the joints can resist the violent strains and concus-sions they must be exposed to in these quick and jarringefforts, is truly wonderful. While Nature has provided these animals with the meansof safety from their more formidable enemies, she has notleft them altogether without defence against their more equalrivals in the field. It is on the head that she has implantedthose powerful arms which are sometimes wielded with dead-ly effect in their mutual combats. Even when not furnishedwith horns, the animal instinctively strikes with its for

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