doth with that swiftness, that one would think he flew, whereas upon the Ground he walks very clumfily and ridiculously. A full defcription of the outward and inward parts of this Animal, may be feen at the end of Panarolus's Obfervat. It is to be noted, that the Chamaleon, tho' he hath Teeth, uses them not for chewing his Prey, but swallows it immediately.

I fhall add two Inftances more in Birds, and thofe are,

1. The Swallow; whofe proper Food is fmall Beetles, and other Infects flying about in the Air; as we have found by diffecting the Stomachs both of Old Ones and Neftlings; Which is wonderfully fitted for the catching of thefe Animalcules; for fhe hath long Wings, and a forked Tail, and fmall Feet, whereby she is at it were made for fwift flight, and enabled to continue long upon the Wing, and to turn nimbly in the Air: And fhe hath alfo an extraordinary wide Mouth, fo that it's very hard for any Infect that comes in her way to efcape her. It is thought to be a fign of Rain, when this Bird flies low near to the Ground ; in which there may be fome truth; because the Infects which fhé hunts may at fuch times, when the fuperiour Air is charged with Vapours, have a Sense of it, and descend near the Earth. Hence when there are no more Infects in the Air, as in Winter-time, those Birds do either abfcond, or betake themselves into hot Countries.

2. The Colymbi, or Douchers, or Loons, whose Bodies are admirably fitted and conformed for diving under Water: Being covered with a very thick Plumage; and the Superficies of their Feathers fo smooth and flippery, that the Water cannot penetrate or moiften them: Whereby their Bodies are defended from the Cold, the Water being kept at a diftance; and fo poised that by a light impulse they may eafily afcend in it. Then their Feet are fituate in the hindmoft part of their Body, whereby they are enabled, shooting their Feet backwards, and ftriking the Water upwards to plunge themselves down into it with great facility, and likewise to move forwards therein. Then their Legs are made flat and broad, and their Feet cloven into Toes with appendant Membranes on each fide; by which configuration they eafily cut the Water, and are drawn forward, and fo take their ftroke backwards; and befides I conceive, that by means of this Figure their Feet being mov'd to the Right and Left-hand, ferve them as a Rudder to enable them to turn under Water : for fome conceive that they fwim easier under Water than they do above it. How they raise themselves up again; whether their Bodies emerge of themfelves by their lightnefs, or whether by ftriking against the bottom, in manner of a leap, or by fome peculiar motion of their Legs, I cannot determine: That they dive to the Bottom is clear, for that in the Stomachs both of the greater and leffer kinds we found Grafs and other Weeds, and in the lef

fer kind nothing elfe; though both prey upon Fish. Their Bills alfo are made ftreight and fharp for the easier cutting of the Water, and ftriking their Prey. Could we fee the Motions of their Legs and Feet in the Water, then we fhould better comprehend how they afcend, descend, and move to and fro; and discern, how wifely and artificially their Members are formed and adapted to those Uses.

II. In Birds all the Members are most exactly fitted for the ufe of flying. First, The Mufcles which ferve to move the Wings are the greatest and strongeft, because much force is required to the agitation of them; the underfide of them is alfo made Concave, and the upper Convex, that they may be easily lifted up, and more strongly beat the Air, which by this means doth more refift the defcent of their Body downward. Then the Trunk of their Body doth fomewhat refemble the Hull of a Ship; the Head, the Prow, which is for the moft part fmall, that it may the more eafily cut the Air, and make way for their Bodies; the Train ferves to fteer, govern, and direct their Flight, and however it may be held erect in their ftanding or walking, yet is directed to lie almoft in the fame plain with their Backs, or rather a little inclining, when they fly. That the Train serves to fteer and direct their Flight, and turn their Bodies like the Rudder of a Ship, is evident in the Kite, who by a light turning of his Train, moves his Body which

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way

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way he pleafes. Idem videntur artem gubernandi docuiffe cauda flexibus, in Cœlo monftrante natura quod opus effet in profundo, Plin. lib. 10. cap. 1o. They feem to have taught Men the Art of fteering a Ship by the Flexures of their Tails Nature fhewing in the Air what was needful to be done in the Deep. And it's notable that Ariflotle truly obferves, that whole-footed Birds, and thofe that have long Legs, have for the moft part fhort Tails; and therefore whilft they fly, do not as others, draw them up to their Bellies, but stretch thein at length backwards, that they inay ferve to fteer and guide them instead of Tails. Neither doth the Tail ferve only to direct and govern the flight, but also partly to fupport the Body, and keep it even, wherefore when fpread, it lies parallel to the Horizon, and ftands not perpendicular to it, as Fifhes do. Hence Birds that have no Tails, as fome forts of Colymbi, or Douckers, fly very inconveniently with their Bodies al

moft erect.

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To this I fhall add further, That the Bodies of Birds are fmall in comparison of Quadrupeds, that they may more eafily be supported in the Air during their flight; which is a great Argument of Wisdom and Defign: Elfe why fhould not we fee Species of Pegafi, or Flying Horfes, of Griffins, of Harpies, and an hundred more, which might make a fhift to live well enough, notwithstanding they could make no use of their Wings. Befides, their Bodies are not only finall, but of a broad Figure, that L 2

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the

the Air may more refift their descents, they are alfo hollow and light; nay their very Bones are light: For though thofe of the Legs and Wings are folid and firm, yet have they ample Cavities, by which means they become inore rigid and ftiff; it being demonftrable, that a hollow Body is more ftiff and inflexible than a folid one of equal fubftance or matter. Then the Feathers alfo are very light, yet their Shafts hard and stiff, as being either empty or filled with a light and fpungy Subftance, and their Webs are not made of continued Membranes, for then had a Rupture by any accident been made in them, it could not have been confolidated, but of two Series of numerous Plumula, or contiguous Filaments, furnished all along with Hooks on each fide, whereby catching hold on one another, they stick faft together; fo that when they are ruffled or discomposed the Bird with her Bill can eafily preen them, and reduce them to their due pofition again. And for their firmer cohæfion, the wife and bountiful Author of Nature hath provided and placed on the Rump two Glandules, having their excretory Veffels, round which grow Feathers in form of a Pencil, to which the Bird turning her Head, catches hold upon them with her Bill, and a little compreffing the Glandules, fqueezes out and brings away therewith an oily Pap or Liniment, moft fit and proper for the inunction of the Feathers, and caufing their little Filaments more ftrongly to cohere. And is not this ftrange and admirable, and argu

mentative