* There are, in general, seven: the Three Fingered Sloths, or the animals named Ai', have nine.

It was not without some feeling of dissatisfaction that Reaumer saw himself eclipsed by a rival, whose bold views and magnificent style, excited the enthusiasm of the public, and inspired them with a kind of contempt for researches in appearance so minute as those which have insects for their object. He showed his bad humour in a somewhat sharp manner. He is supposed even to have contributed to the publication of some critical letters, in which the discussions of an obscure metaphysician are opposed to the eloquence of the painter of Nature, and in which Daubenton, in whom Reaumur believed he saw the only solid support of what he called the prestiges of his rival, was by no means spared. The Academy sometimes witnessed more direct quarrels, the recollection of which has not altogether reached us, but which were so strong, that Buffon was obliged to employ his influence with the favourite of the day, * to support his friend, and enable him to reach those higher degrees which were due to his works.

There is no celebrated man who has not experienced such disagreeable occurrences; for, under every possible combination of circumstances, there is never a man of merit without some adversaries; and those who wish to do injury never fail to find some willing to protect them.

* Madame de Pompadour.

Merit was so much the more fortunate in not giving way on this occasion, that it was not of a nature to strike the multitude. A modest and scrupulous observer could neither captivate the vulgar, nor even philosophers who were unacquainted with natural history; for philosophers always judge of works which do not belong to their department like the vulgar, and the number of naturalists was then very small. If Daubenton's work had appeared alone, it would have remained in the hands of anatomists and naturalists, who would have appreciated it at its just value; and their suffrages determining that of the multitude, the latter would have respected the author on their word, just as unknown gods are the more revered the more impenetrable their sanctuary. But, appearing by the side of the work of his brilliant rival, that of Daubenton was taken into the toilette of ladies and the cabinet of literary men; the comparison of his measured style and circumspect progress, with the lively poetry and bold flights of his rival, could not be to his advantage; and the minute details of dimensions and descriptions into which he entered, could not remove from such judges the ennui with which they were necessarily accompanied.

Thus, when all the naturalists of Europe received, with mingled gratitude and admiration, the results of the immense labours of Daubenton; when they gave to the work that contained them, and for the sole reason that it did contain them, the names of work of gold, a work truly classical; they regarded with indifference the author at Paris: and some of those flatterers, who creep before renown as before power, because renown is likewise power, succeeded in making Buffon believe, that he would gain by getting rid of his importunate fellow labourer. We have even heard since the secre- . tary of an illustrious academy assert, that naturalists alone might regret, if he had followed this advice!

Buffon therefore caused an edition of the Natural History to be prepared, in thirteen volumes 12to., from which not only the anatomical part was excluded, but also the description of the exterior of animals, which Daubenton had drawn up for the large edition; and as nothing was substituted, it followed that this work gives no idea of the form, nor colour, nor distinctive characters of animals; so that if this small edition had alone resisted the prejudices of the times, as the multitude of impressions now published would lead us to believe, we would no longer find much better means of recognising the animals of which the author speaks, than are to be found in Pliny and Aristotle, who have likewise neglected the detail of descriptions.

Buffon determined to appear alone in what he afterwards published, both on birds and minerals. Besides the affront, Daubenton thereby suffered a considerable loss. He might have remonstrated; for this undertaking on natural history had been concerted in common; but, by so doing, he must have quarrelled with the superintendent of the Jardin du Roi, and must have left the cabinet he had created, and to which he clung as to life. He forgot the affront and the loss, and continued to work as before.

The regret which every naturalist manifested, when they saw the commencement of the History of Birds appear, without being accompanied with those exact descriptions, and careful anatomical details, which they prized so highly, must have tended to console him.

He would have had still more reason to be so, if his attachment for the great man who neglected him had not prevailed over his self love, when he saw those first volumes, to which Gueneau of Montbeillard contributed nothing, filled with inaccuracies, and destitute of all those details which it was physically and morally impossible that Buffon could furnish.

These imperfections were still more marked in the Supplements, works of Bufifon's old age, in which this great writer carries his injustice so far as to devolve on a mere painter the part which Daubenton had so well executed in the first volumes.

Many naturalists, accordingly, endeavoured to supply this want; and the celebrated Pallas, among others, absolutely took Daubenton for his model in his Miscellanea and Spicilegia Zoologica, as well as in his His-toire des Rongeurs, works which ought to be considered as real supplements to Buffon, and as the best which appeared on quadrupeds after his great work.

Every one knows with what success the illustrious continuator of Buffon in the department of fishes and reptiles - who was likewise the friend and colleague of Daubenton, and who still laments him along with ourselves - has united in Ms writings the double advantage of an ornate style, full of imagery, and a scrupulous accuracy in the details, and how he has equally well replaced both his predecessors.