ed, no bud will be found in it, nor will it grow if sown in the earth.

4. There is another inconvenience, however, which they have a curious method of preventing. Were the grain to continue in a moist place under ground, it would rot, and be unfit for their food. They therefore gather small particles of earth which they bring out of their holes, and place them in a heap to dry in the sun. They next bring out their grain in the same manner to dry it; but this they never do, unless the weather be elear and the sun hot; but when both are favourable, they perform it almost every day.

5. A gentleman once found a nest of ants in a box of earth, placed out of a two pair of stairs window, from which they made excursions both upwards to the top of the house, where some corn lay in a garret, and downwards into a garden, that was overlooked by the window. Notwithstanding this great distance, none of them ever returned empty, but each brought a grain of wheat or oats, a small seed, or even a particle of dry earth, if nothing else could be got. Some travelled to the end of the garden, and with prodigious labour, brought heavy loads from thence. It required four hours to effect this work; so that a poor ant seemed to labour as hard as a man who should carry a heavy load twelve miles a day.

6. The pains they took to carry grains of corn up a wall to the second story, climbing all the way with their head downwards, must be exceeding great. Their weariness appeared, by their frequent stopping at the most convenient places; and some appeared so fatigued, that they could not reach their journey's end: in which case, it was common to see the strongest ants, which had carried home their load, come down again, and help them.

7. Sometimes they were so unfortunate, as to fall down together with their burdens, when just in sight of home; but when this happened, they seldom lost their corn, but carried it up again. One has been observed to fall in this manner three times successively, yet she never let go her hold, but renewed the attempt; till at last, her strength utterly failing, she was obliged to

stop, and another ant assisted her to carry home her load to the public stock.*

8. How wonderful is the sagacity of these little creatures! How commendable their care, diligence, and Jabour! How generous their assistance of each other, their public virtue, which is never neglected for the sake of private interest! But O, how wonderful is the God who formed these curious creatures, and from whom all their sagacity proceeds! What a lesson do they teach us! and what a reproof do they give us ! well expressed by that sweet singer of Israel, Dr. Watts

"The little Ants for one poor grain,
Labour, and tug, and strive,
But we, who have a heav'n t' obtain,
How negligent we live!"

THE ROE. CANTICLES, ii. 17.

IT is no reflection on our translators, to say that they were, in some instances, mistaken, especially in names and circumstances, which were in their time very imperfectly known; but have since been more accurately ascertained. It is now, I believe, pretty generally admitted, that the animal above alluded to, is not the roe (which is foreign to that climate) but the antelope, or rather gazelle, by the Hebrews called the zabi.†

2. Buffon, who has consulted all the best authorities, gives us the following particulars on this subject: "The gazelle is about the size of the fallow deer, which it also resembles in the texture of its coat; but its colour is a reddish brown. Its horns are curiously bent and annulated, permanent, but not solid; and it has a tuft of hairs on its fore legs."

Some English naturalists deny that ants form any magazine in provisions for winter in that climate: but admit it may be true of other countries.

See Dr. Shaw's Travels, p. 414, &c.

3. These creatures divide the hoof, and are therefore clean, according to the Jewish law; and their flesh is so much esteemed for food, that they composed a part of the daily provisions for Solomon's household. They are gregarious, generally going in flocks; but very shy, and so swift of foot, that they cannot be taken in bunting without the assistance of the falcon. They often graze upon the plain at night; but return to their native mountains (at least the species we are describing) early in the morning.

4. The eyes of this creature are so remarkably full, bright, and piercing, that the Turkish and Arabian poets frequently allude to them, in complimenting their fair ones.t

5. So much for the natural history of this animal. But why is the great Redeemer represented under this metaphor? Without descending to minuteness, or multiplying particulars, I will suggest two or three points of resemblance.

6. The amiable qualities of the gazelle, such as cleanness, gentleness, modesty, &c. (which very much resemble those of the Lamb) give us the outline of his character, who was "holy, harmless, undefiled, and separate from sinners."

7. Christ's defenceless state, and exposure to persecution and death, point us to "the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sins of the world."

8. But its swiftness seems a principal circumstance here alluded to, as representing the alacrity and readiness with which our gracious Redeemer came down from heaven for the salvation of his elect; and the promptitude with which he still comes, in seasons of difficulty or distress, to the assistance of individual believers.

"O'er hills of guilt, and seas of grief,
He leaps, he flies, for our relief."

1 Kings, iv. 23.

Sir W. Jones's Persian Gram. p. 71.

THE FOX, OR JACKALL.

MANY circumstances have led to the suspicion, that the for mentioned in the Scriptures, was of a different species from those in Europe, and particularly in England. Those foxes, for instance, are not gregarious; but those of Palestine are described, as going in troops twhence Samson caught 300 of them) as remarkably ravenous, and destroying every thing before them.

2. Now by the accounts of eastern travellers, the jackall (or chacal) answers exactly to these characters; and as the true fox is very rarely seen in those countries, there can be little or no doubt but the jackall is the animal called in the Old Testament shuat, in the New, λon, and in both rendered fox.

3. The jackall, however, is of two species, commonly distinguished as larger and smaller; the latter of which is called by Buffon and others, the jackall adive; and bears the nearest resemblance to the fox, being about the same size and colour. Perhaps both kinds may be

luded to by the author of Canticles :* "Take for us the faxes (or jackalls) the little foxes (or jackalls adive) that destroy the winan,?? the latter chiefly infesting e gardens and the vineyards.

4. Thevenot mentions large troops of these animals; and Samson caught 300 of them in wheat-harvest (that being the season when they are most plentiful ;) and tying them tail to tail, with firebrands between them, sent them into the cornfields and vineyards of the Philistines ; where they love to run, and where they must do immense damage in that dry season, when the eastern herbage will catch like tinder, and blaze like tow.

5. Ezekiel compares the false prophets of Israel to foxes, i. e. jackalls in the deserts, where they make a great noise, chattering and howling, and devour every thing that comes within their reach. So these imposlors were continually prating, "The Lord saith," and "Thus saith the Lord," when he had not spoken by

* Chap. ii. 15. † Judges, xv. 4 5.

Ezek. xiii. 4.

them; and, instead of "healing the breaches of the people," were like the jackalls, especially the larger sort, who broke down the fences, and destroyed the hedges.

*

6. The Psalmist, speaking of his enemies, says, 66 They shall be a portion for foxes:" which exactly agrees with the character of the larger jackalls, who, according to the accounts of travellers, tear up the graves and devour the putrid bodies; whence the inhabitants love to bury deep, or in the lower parts of the earth.

7. Our Lord compares Herod to a fox, as the text is commonly understood; but the jackall is a much juster emblem of a tyrant, as being equally artful and insidious, but more cruel and blood thirsty. But does not this sound extremely harsh from the lips of the Lamb of God? Let it be remembered, he spake in his public character, and as one having authority. He was the Great Prophet of the church, and Herod was a perseeutor. He was the true King of Israel, and Herod was an usurper. The Lamb of God is also the Lion of the tribe of Judah.