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contrived and defigned purposely to retain the Milk, that it fhould not flow out of its felf, but eafily be drawn out by preffure and function; or to affirm that this fell out accidentally, than which there could not have been a more ingenious Contrivance for the Ufe to which it is imploy'd, invented by the Wit of Man?

To this Head of the Fitnefs of the Parts of the Body to the Creatures nature and manner of living, belongs that observation of Ariftotle, τῶν ὀρνίθων ὅσα μὲν χαμψώνυχα σαρκοφάγα πάντα. Such Birds as have crooked Beaks and Talons, are all carnivorous; and fo of Quadrupeds, xzexaçóra, carnivora omnia. All that have ferrate Teeth, are carnivorous. This obfervation holds true concerning all European Birds, but I know not but that Parrots may be an exception to it. Yet it is remarkable, that such Birds as are carnivorous have no Gizzard, or Mufculous, but a Membranous Stomach, that kind of Food needing no fuch grinding or comminution as Seeds do, but being torn into Strings, or fmall Flakes, by the Beak, may be easily concocted by a Membranous Stomach.

To the fitness of all the Parts and Members of Animals to their refpective Ufes, may alfo be referred another obfervation of the fame Ariftole, Πάντα τὰ ζῶα ἀρτίες έχει πόδας. All Animals have even Feet, not more on one fide than another; which if they had, would either hinder their walking, or hang by, not only ufelefs, but alfo burthenfome. For though a Creature might make a limping fhift to hop,

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fuppofe with three Feet, yet nothing fo conveniently or fteddily to walk, or run, or indeed to ftand. So that we fee, Nature hath made choice of what is most fit, proper, and useful. They have alfo not only an even number of Feet, anfwering by Pairs one to another, which is as well decent as convenient; but those too of an equal length, I mean the feveral Pairs ; whereas were thofe on one fide longer than they on the other, it would have caufed an inconvenient halting or limping in their going.

I fhall mention but one more obfervation of Ariftotle, that is, Пd μóvev, there is no Creature only volatile, or no flying Animal, but hath Feet as well as Wings, a power of walking or creeping upon the Earth; because there is no Food, or at least not fufficient Food for them to be had always in the Air; or if in hot Countries we may fuppofe there is, the Air being never without ftore of Infects flying about in it, yet could fuch Birds take no reft, for having no Feet, they could not pearch upon Trees, and if they fhould alight upon the Ground, they could by no means raife themfelves any more, as we fee thofe Birds which have but short Feet, as the Swift and Martinet with difficulty do. Befides, they would want means of Breeding, having no where to lay their Eggs, to Sit, Hatch, or Brood their Young. As for the Story of the Manucoliata, or Bird of Paradife, which in the former Age was generally received and accepted for true, even by the Learned, it is now discover'd to be a Fable,

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and rejected and exploded by all Men: Those Birds being well known to have Legs and Feet as well as others, and thofe not fhort, finall, nor feeble ones, but fufficiently great and strong, and arm'd with crooked Talons, as being the Members of Birds of Prey.

It is alfo very remarkable, That all flying Infects fhould be covered with fhelly Scales, like Armour, partly to fecure them from external Violence, from Injuries by Blows and Preffures: Partly to defend their tender Muscles from the heat of the Sun-beams, which would be apt to parch and. dry them up, being of small bulk partly alfo to reftrain the Spirits, and to prevent their evaporation.

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I fhall now add another Inftance of the Wifdom of Nature, or rather the God of Nature, in adapting the parts of the fame Animal one to another, and that is the proportioning the length of the Neck to that of the Legs. For, feeing Terreftrial Animals, as well Birds as Quadrupeds, are endued with Legs, upon which they fand, and wherewith they transfer themfelves from place to place, to gather their Food, and for other Conveniences of Life, and fo the Trunk of their Body muft needs be elevated above the Superficies of the Earth, fo that they could not conveniently either gather their Food or Drink, if they wanted a Neck, therefore Nature hath not only furnished them therewith, but with fuch an one as is cohmenfurable to their Legs, except here the Elephant, which hath indeed a fhort Neck; for the exceffive

weight of his Head and Teeth, which to a long Neck would have been unfupportable, but is provided with a Trunk, wherewith, as with a Hand he takes up his Food and Drink, and brings it to his Mouth. I fay, the Necks of Birds and Quadrupeds are commenfurate to their Legs, fo that they which have long Legs have long Necks, and they that have fhort Legs fhort oncs, as is feen in the Crocodile, and all Lizards; and those that have no Legs, as they do not want Necks, fo neither have they any, as Fishes. This equality between the length of the Legs and Neck, is especially feen in Beafts that feed conftantly upon Grafs, whofe Necks and Legs are always very near equal; very near I fay, because the Neck muft neceffarily have fome advantage, in that it cannot hang perpendicularly down, but muft incline a little. Moreover, becaufe this fort of Creatures must needs hold their Heads down in an inclining posture for a confiderable time together, which would

be very laborious and painful for the Muscles; therefore on each fide the Ridge of the Vertebres of the Neck, Nature hath placed an

veg, or nervous Ligament of a great thicknefs and strength, apt to ftretch and shrink again as need requires, and void of Sence, extending from the Head (to which, and the next Vertebres of the Neck it is faftned at that end) to the middle Vertebres of the Back (to which it is knit at the other) to affift them to fupport the Head in that pofture, which Aponeurofis is taken notice of by the Vulgar by the name of Fixfax,

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or Pack-wax, or Whit-leather. It is also very obfervable in Fowls that wade in the Water, which having long Legs, have alfo Necks anfwerably long. Only in these too there is an exception, exceeding worthy to be noted, for fome Water-Fowl, which are Palmipeds, or whole-footed, have very long Necks, and yet but fhort Legs, as Swans and Geese, and fome Indian Birds; wherein we may observe the admirable Providence of Nature. For fuch Birds, as were to fearch and gather their Food, whether Herbs or Infects, in the bottom of Pools and deep Waters, have long Necks for that purpofe, though their Legs, as is moft convenient for Swimming, be but fhort. Whereas there are no Land-Fowl to be seen with fhort Legs, and long Necks, but all have their Necks in length commenfurate to their Legs. This Inftance is the more confiderable, because the Atheifts ufual flam will not here help them out. For (fay they) there were many Animals of difproportionate Parts, and of abfurd and uncouth Shapes produced at firft in the Infancy of the World, but because they could not gather their Food, or perform other Functions neceffary to maintain Life, they foon perished, and were loft again. For thefe Birds we fee can gather their Food upon Land conveniently enough, notwithstanding the length of their Necks; for example, Geefe graze upon Commons, and can feed themfelves fat upon Land. Yet is there not one Land-Bird, which hath its Neck thus difproportionate to its Legs; nor one

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