THE

NATURAL HISTORY

OF

THE BIBLE;

OR,

A DESCRIPTION

OF ALL THE

QUADRUPEDS, BIRDS, FISHES, REPTILES, AND INSECTS, TREES,
PLANTS, FLOWERS, GUMS, AND PRECIOUS STONES,

MENTIONED IN THE SACRED SCRIPTURES.

COLLECTED FROM THE BEST AUTHORITIES, AND ALPHABETICALLY

ARRANGED.

By THADDEUS MASON HARRIS, D.D.

He spake of Trees, from the cedar that is in Lebanon even unto the byssop that springeth
out of the wall. He spake also of Beasts, and of Fowls, and of Creeping things, and of
Fishes." 1 KINGS iv. 33.

BOSTON:

WELLS AND LILLY-COURT-STREET.

1820.

DISTRICT OF MASSACHUSETTS, TO WIT:

District Clerk's Office.

BE it remembered, that on the thirty-first day of October, A.D. 1820, in the Forty-fifth year of the Independence of the United States of America, Thaddeus Mason Harris of the said District, has deposited in this Office the Title of a Book the Right whereof he claims as Author in the Words following, to wit: The Natura! History of the Bible; or, a Description of all the Quadrupeds, Birds, Fishes, Reptiles, and Insects, Trees, Plants. Flowers, Gums, and Precious Stones, mentioned in the Sacred Scriptures. Collected from the best Authorities, and Alphabetically arranged. By Thaddeus Mason Harris, D.D.

"He spake of Trees, from the cedar that is in Lebanon even unto the hyssop that springeth out of the wall. He spake also of Beasts, and of Fowls, and of Creeping things, and of Fishes." 1 KINGS iv. 33.

In Conformity to the Act of the Congress of the United States, entitled, "An Act for the Encouragement of Learning, by securing the Copies of Maps, Charts and Books, to the Authors and Proprietors of such Copies, during the Times therein mentioned:" and also to an Act entitled," An Act supplementary to an Act, entitled, An Act for the Encouragement of Learning, by securing the Copies of Maps, Charts and Books, to the Authors and Proprietors of such Copies during the times therein mentioned; and extending the Benefits thereof to the Arts of Designing, Engraving and Etching Historical, and other Prints."

JNO. W. DAVIS,

Clerk of the District of Massachusetts.

THE
HERE are few things more difficult to be determin-
ed with any degree of certainty and precision, than those
which refer to the natural history of the world in the ear-
lier ages; for we have no ancient history of nature which
describes animals, plants, &c. under their original names.
This difficulty is always felt, and has always been regret-
ted, in perusing the Sacred Scriptures; for our ignorance
of the various beasts, birds, and plants which are ex-
pressly mentioned or incidentally referred to there, pre-
vents us from discovering the propriety of many allusions
to their nature and habits, and conceals from us the beau-
ty of many similies which are founded on their characte-
ristic qualities. The utility of a clear and correct expla-
nation of these will be apparent from the following con-
siderations:

1. The distinction between clean and unclean ANIMALS forms an important part of the Mosaic ritual. Neither the indulgence of the former in the food of the Jews, nor the prohibition of the latter, was merely arbitrary, but founded, among other reasons, upon judicious rules of dietetic regimen, adapted primarily to the climate, or to the nature and qualities of the animals, as salutary or unwholesome, as proper or improper, to be eaten. To perceive the propriety of the regulations in this respect, it is highly necessary to determine what those animals were, and to point out those instincts, habits, and qualities on account of which they were either allowed or prohibited.

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