[k] It is a Sign some wise Artist was a Contriver of the Cloathing of Animals; not only as their Cloathing varies, as their Way of Living doth; but also because every Part of their Bodies is furnish’d with proper suitable Cloathing. Thus divers Animals, that have their Bodies cover’d for the most Part with short, smooth Hair; have some Parts left naked, where Hair would be an Annoyance: And some Parts beset with long Hair; as the Mane and Tail; And some with stiff, strong Bristles; as about the Nose; And sometimes within the Nostrils; to guard off, or give warning of Annoyances.
[l] The Feathers being placed from the Head towards the Tail, in close and neat Order, and withal preened and dressed by the Contents of the Oil-Bag, afford as easie a Passage through the Air, as a Boat new cleaned and dressed finds in its Passage through the Waters. Whereas, were the Feathers placed the contrary, or any other way (as they would have been, had they been placed by Chance, or without Art) they would then have gathered Air, and been a great Encumbrance to the Passage of the Body through the Air. See [Book VII. Chap. 1. Note (b).]
[m] In [Book VII. Chap. 1. Note (e).] there is a particular Account of the Mechanism of their Vanes, from some nice Microscopical Observations, and therefore I shall take no farther Notice of it here.
[n] Vid. Borell. de Mot. Animal. Prop. 182. Vol. I.
[o] See [Book IX.]
[p] For a Sample of this Branch of my Survey, let us chuse the Tegument of Earth-Worms, which we shall find compleatly adapted to their Way or Life and Motion, being made in the most compleat Manner possible for terebrating the Earth, and creeping where their Occasions lead them. For their Body is made throughout of small Rings, and these Rings have a curious Apparatus of Muscles, enabling those Creatures with great Strength to dilate, extend, or contract their Annuli, and whole Body; those Annuli also are each of them armed with small, stiff, sharp Beards, or Prickles, which they can open, to lay hold on, or shut up close to their Body: And lastly, Under the Skin there lies a slimy Juice, that they emit, as Occasion is, at certain Perforations between the Annuli, to lubricate the Body, and facilitate their Passage into the Earth. By all which Means they are enabled with great Speed, Ease, and Safety, to thrust and wedge themselves into the Earth; which they could not do, had their Bodies been covered with Hair, Feathers, Scales, or such like Cloathing of the other Creatures. See more concerning this Animal, [Book IX. Chap. 1. Note (a).]
[q] Aristotle, in his Hist. Anim. l. 3. c. 12. names several Rivers, that by being drank of, change the Colour of the Hair.
[r] For an Example; Let us take the Cloathing of the Tortoise and Viper; because, by an incurious View, it rather regrateth, than pleaseth the Eye: But yet, by an accurate Survey, we find the Shells of the Former, and the Scales of the Latter, to be a curious Piece of Mechanism, neatly made; and so compleatly, and well put, and tack’d together, as to exceed any human Composures: Of the Latter see more in [Book IX. Chap. 1. Note (c).]
[] It would be endless to enter into the Particulars of the beautiful Birds and Insects of our European Parts; but especially those inhabiting the Countries between the Tropicks, which are observed as much to exceed our Birds in their Colours, as ours do theirs in their Singing.