affording Food to fuch as can terrebrate, and make Way into it by their Vermicular Faculty; and the next Vegetable being Food to others that can climb and reach (11), or but crawl to it.

CHA P. II.

Of the Inhabitants of the WATERS.

Have now gone through that Part of the Ani mal World, which I proposed to survey, the Animals inhabiting the Land.

As to the other Part of the Terraqueous Globe, the Waters, and the Inhabitants thereof, not ha ving Time at prefent to finish what I have begun on that large Subject, I fhall be forced to quit it for the prefent, altho' we have there as ample and glorious a Scene of the Infinite Creator's Power and Art, as hath been already fet forth on the dry Land. For the Waters themselves are an admira ble Work of God (1), and of infinite Use (2) to

that

in Philof. Tranf. No. 291, I have faid, it is in all probability Earth made of rotted Roots and Plants, and fuch like nutritive Things, not pure Earth. And there is farther Reason for it, because Worms will drag the Leaves of Trees into their Holes.

(11) Snails might be in Danger of wanting Food, if they were to live only upon fuch tender Plants as are near the Ground, within their Reach only; to impower them therefore to extend their Pursuits farther, they are enabled by the Means mentioned in Note 4. to ftick unto, and creep up Walls and Ve getables at their Pleasure.

(1) Befides their abfolute Neceffity, and great Ure to the World, there are feveral Topics, from whence the Waters may be demonftrated to be God's Work; as, the creating so vaft a Part of our Globe; the placing it commodioufly therein, and giving it Bounds, the Methods of keeping it sweet and clean, by Its Saltnefs, by the Tides and Agitations by the Winds; the ma

king

that Part of the Globe already furveyed; and the prodigious Variety (3), and Multitudes of curious and wonderful Things obfervable in its Inhabitants of all Sorts, are an inexhauftible Scene of the Creator's Wifdom and Power. The vaft Bulk of fome (4), and prodigious Minutenefs of others (5), together with the incomparable Contrivance and Structure of the Bodies (6) of all; the Provisions and Supplies of Food afforded to fuch an innumerable

king the Waters ufeful to the Vegetation of Plants, and for Food to Animals, by the noble Methods of fweetning them; and many other Things befides, which are infifted on in that Part of my Survey.

(2) Pliny having named divers Mirabilia Aquarum, to shew their Power; then proceeds to their Ufes, viz. Eadem cadentes omnium terra nafcentium caufa fiunt, prorfus mirabili natura, fiquis velit reputare, ut fruges gignantur, arbores fruticefque vivant, in coelum migrare aquas, animamque herbis vitalem inde deferre: jufta confeffione, omnes terræ quoque vires aquarum beneficii. Quapropter ante omnia ipfarum potentiæ exempla ponemus. Curas enim quis mortalium enumerare queat? And then he goes on with an Enumeration of fome Waters famed for being medicinal, or fome other unufual Quality. Flin. L. 31. c. I, & 2.

(3) Pliny reckons 176 Kinds in the Waters, whofe Names may be met with in his L-32. c. 11, but he is fhort in his Account. (4) Pliny, L. 9. c. 3. faith, that in the Indian Sea there are Balena quaternum jugerum (i. e. 960 Feet) Priftes 200 cubitorum (ie. 300 Feet) And L. 32. c. 1. he mentions Whales 600 Footlong, and 360 broad, that came into a River of Arabia. If the Reader hath a mind, he may fee his Reafon Why the largeft Animals are bred in the Sea. L. 9. c. 2.

(5) As the largeft, fo the moft minute Animals are bred in the Waters, as thofe in Pepper water; and fuch as make the green Scum on the Waters, or make them feem as if Green, and many others. Ste B. 4. Ch. 11. N. 13, 14.

(6) It might be here fhewn that the Bodies of all the several Inhabitants of the Waters are the best contrived and suited to that Place and Bufinefs in the Waters, which is proper for them; that particularly their Bodies are cloathed and guarded, in the beft Manner, with Scales, or Shells, c. fuitable to the Place they are to refide in, the Dangers they may there be exposed unto, and the Motion and Business they are there to perform:

That

rable Company of Eaters, and that in an Element unlikely one would think, to afford any great Store of Supplies (7); the Bufinefs of Respiration performed in a Way fo different from, but equivalent to what is in Land Animals (8); the Adjustment of the Organs of Vifion (9) to that Element in which the Animal liveth; the Poife (10), the Support

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That the Center of Gravity (of great Confideration in that fluid Element) is always placed in the fi teft Part of the Body: That the Shape of their Bodies (efpecially the more fwift) is the most commodious for making way through the Waters, and moft agreeable to Geometrical Rules; and many other Matters befides would deserve a Place here, were they not too long for Notes, and that I fhall anticipate what will be more proper for another Place, and more accurately treated of there.

(7) See before Book 4. Ch. 11.

(8) Galen was aware of the Refpiration of Fishes by their Branchia. For having faid, that Fishes have no Occafion of a Voice, neither refpire through the Mouth as Land Animals do, he faith, Sed earum, quas Branchias nuncupamus, conftructio, ipfis vice Pulmonis eft. Cum enim crebris ac tenuibus foraminibus fint Branchie ba intercepta, aeri quidem & vapori per viis, fubtilioribus tamen quam pro mole aqua hanc quidem extra repellunt, illa autem prompte intromittunt. Galen. de Uf. Part. L. 6. c. 9. So alfo Pliny held, that Fishes refpired by their Gills; but he faith Ariftotle was of a different Opinion. Plin. L. 9. c. 7. And fo Ariftotle feems to be in his Hift. Animal. L. 8. c 2. and in other Places. And I may add our famous Dr. Needham: See his De form. Fetu, Ch. 6. and Answer to Severinus.

(9) A protuberant Eye would have been inconvenient for Fithes, by hindring their Motion in fo denfe a Medium as Water is; or else their brushing through fo thick a Médium would have been apt to wear, and prejudice their Eyes. Therefore their Cornea is flat. To make amends for which, as alfo for the Refraction of Water, different from that of the Air, the wife Contriver of the Eye, hath made the Crystalline fphærical in Fishes, which in Animals, living in the Air, is Lenticular, and more flat. (10) As I have fhewed before, that the Bodies of Birds are nicely poised to swim in the Air fo are thofe of Fishes for the Water, every Part of the Body being duly balanced, and the Center of Gravity (as I faid in Note 6.) accurately fixed. And to prevent Vacillation, fome of the Fins ferve, particularly thofe

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port (11), the Motion of the Body (12), forwards with great Swiftnefs, and upwards and downwards, with great Readinefs and Agility, and all without Feet and Hands, and ten thousand Things befides; all thefe Things, I fay, do lay before us fo various, fo glorious, and withal fo inexhauftible a Scene of the Divine Power, Wisdom and Goodness, that it would be in vain to engage my self in fo large a Province, without allotting as much Time and Pains to it, as the preceding Survey hath coft me. Paffing by therefore that Part of our Globe, I fhall only. fay fomewhat very briefly concerning the Infenfitive Creatures, particularly thofe of the Vegetable Kingdom, and fo conclude this Survey.

of the Belly; as Berelli proved by cutting off the Belly-fins, which caused the Fish to reel to the right and left hand, and render'd it unable to ftand fteadily in an upright Pofture.

(11) To enable the Fish to abide at the Top, or Bottom, or any other Part of the Waters, the Air-Bladder is given to moft Fishes, which as 'tis more full or empty, makes the Body more or less buoyant.

(12 The Tail is the grand Inftrument of the Motion of the Body; not the Fins, as fome imagine. For which reafon, Fifhes are more mufculous and ftrong in that Part, than in all the reft of their Body, according as it is in the motive Parts of all Animals, in the pectoral Muscles of Birds, the Thighs of Man, &c.

If the Reader hath a mind to see the admirable Method, how Fishes row themselves by their Tail and other Curiofities relating to their swimming, I fhall refer him to Borelli de mot. Anim. Part. I. ch. 23. particularly to Prop. 213.

BOOK

T

BOOK X.

Of VEGETABLES.

405

HE Vegetable Kingdom, although an inferiour Branch of the Creation, exhibits to us fuch an ample Scene of the Creator's Contrivance, Curiofity, and Art, that I much rather chufe to fhew what might be faid, than engage too far in Particulars. I might infift upon the great Variety there is, both of Trees and Plants provided for all Ages, and for every Ufe and Occafion of the World (1); fome for Building, for Tools and Utenfils of every kind; fome hard, fome foft; fome tough and ftrong, fome brittle fome long and tall, fome fhort and low; fome thick and large, fome fmall and flender; fome for Phyfick (2), fome for Food, fome for Pleasure; yea, the moft

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(1) The fifth Book of Theophraftus's Hift. Plant. may be here confulted: where he gives ample Inftances of the various Conftitutions and Uses of Trees, in various Works, &c. See also before B. 4. ch. 13. Note 1.

(2) Invifis quoque berbis inferuit [Natura] remedia: quippe cum medicinas dederit etiam acculeatis -in quibus ipfis providentiam Natura fatis admirari ample&tique non eft. -Inde excogitavit aliquas afpe&łu hispidas, taču truces, ut tantum non vocem ipfius fingeniis illas, rationemque reddentis exaudire videamur, ne se depafcar avida Quadrupes, ne procaces manus rapiant, ne neglecta Veftigia obterant, ne infidens Ales infringat: his muniendo Aculeis, telifque armando, remediis ut tuta ac falva fint. Ita hoc quoque quod in iis odimus, hominum caufa excogitatum eft. Plin. N. H. L. 22. c. 6.

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