CHAP. XV.
Of the Generation of Animals.
There remains now only one Thing more of the ten Things in common to Animals, and that is what relates to their Generation[a], and Conservation of their Species[], by that Means. It would not be seemly to advance far in this admirable Work of God; neither shall I at all insist upon that of Man for the same Reason. And as for the Irrationals[c], I shall confine my self to these five Matters.
I. Their natural Sagacity in chusing the fittest Places to reposite their Eggs and Young.
II. The fittest Times and Seasons they make use of for their Generation.
III. The due and stated Number of their Young.
IV. Their Diligence and earnest Concern in their Breeding up.
V. Their Faculty of Feeding them, and their Art and Sagacity exerted therein.
I. The natural Sagacity of irrational Animals, in chusing the fittest Places to reposite their Eggs and Young. Of this I have given larger Hints already than I needed to have done, when I spake of the Architecture[d] of Animals, intending then to have wholly pass’d by this Business of Generation; I shall therefore now only superadd a few other Instances, the more to illustrate this Matter.