the room; and when it had smelt to them all, it drank up
the milk." L. 6. de locis. cap. 6.

Parturient quadrupeds, as cats, and bitches, and sows, are led by their
sense of smell to eat the placenta as other common food; why then do they
not devour their whole progeny, as is represented in an antient emblem of
TIME? This is said sometimes to happen in the unnatural state in which we
confine sows; and indeed nature would seem to have endangered her offspring
in this nice circumstance! But at this time the stimulus of the milk in the
tumid teats of the mother excites her to look out for, and to desire some
unknown circumstance to relieve her. At the same time the smell of the milk
attracts the exertions of the young animals towards its source, and thus
the delighted mother discovers a new appetite, as mentioned in Sect. XIV.
8. and her little progeny are led to receive and to communicate pleasure by
this most beautiful contrivance.

VI. But though the human species in some of their sensations are much
inferior to other animals, yet the accuracy of the sense of touch, which
they possess in so eminent a degree, gives them a great superiority of
understanding; as is well observed by the ingenious Mr. Buffon. The
extremities of other animals terminate in horns, and hoofs, and claws, very
unfit for the sensation of touch; whilst the human hand is finely adapted
to encompass its object with this organ of sense.

The elephant is indeed endued with a fine sense of feeling at the extremity
of his proboscis, and hence has acquired much more accurate ideas of touch
and of sight than most other creatures. The two following instances of the
sagacity of these animals may entertain the reader, as they were told me by
some gentlemen of distinct observation, and undoubted veracity, who had
been much conversant with our eastern settlements. First, the elephants
that are used to carry the baggage of our armies, are put each under the
care of one of the natives of Indostan, and whilst himself and his wife go
into the woods to collect leaves and branches of trees for his food, they
fix him to the ground by a length of chain, and frequently leave a child
yet unable to walk, under his protection: and the intelligent animal not
only defends it, but as it creeps about, when it arrives near the extremity
of his chain, he wraps his trunk gently round its body, and brings it again
into the centre of his circle. Secondly, the traitor elephants are