CHAP. 111. (50.)—TE TAILS OF ANIMALS.
Nearly all the animals, both viviparous as well as oviparous,
with the exception of man and the ape, have tails in proportion to the necessities of the body. In animals with bristles
the tail is bare, as in the boar, for instance. In those that are
shaggy, it is small, such as the bear; while in those animals
that have long hair, the tail is long also, the horse, for instance. The tail of a lizard or serpent, if cut off, will grow
again. The tail governs the movements of the fish like a
rudder, and turning from side to side, to the right or to the
left, impels it onwards, acting in some degree like an oar.
A double tail is sometimes found in lizards. In oxen, the
stalk of the tail is of remarkable length, and is covered with
rough hair at the extremity. In the ass, too, it is longer than
in the horse, but in beasts of burden it is covered with bristly
hairs. The tail of the lion, at the extremity, is like that of
the ox and the field-mouse; but this is not the case with the
panther. In the fox and the wolf it is covered with long
hair, as in sheep, in which it is longer also. In swine, the
tail is curled; among dogs, those that are mongrels carry it
close beneath the belly.