Of Reptiles.
Having dispatch’d the insect Tribe, there is but one Genus of the Land-Animals remaining to be survey’d; and that is, that of Reptiles[a]. Which I shall dispatch in a little Compass, by Reason I have somewhat amply treated of others, and many of the Things may be apply’d here. But there are some Things in which this Tribe is somewhat singular, which I shall therefore take Notice of briefly in this Place. One is their Motion, which I have in another Place[] taken Notice of to be not less curious, than it is different from that of other Animals, whether we consider the Manner of it, as vermicular, or sinuous[c], or like that of the Snail[d], or the Caterpillar[e], or the Multipedous[f] or any other Way, or the Parts ministring to it, particularly the Spine[g], and the Muscles co-operating with the Spine, in such as have Bone, and the annular and other Muscles, in such as have none, all incomparably made for those curious, and I may say, geometrical Windings and Turnings, Undulations, and all the various Motions to be met with in the reptile Kind.
Another Thing that will deserve our Notice, is, the Poyson[h] that many of this Tribe are stock’d with. Which I the rather mention, because some make it an Objection against the divine Superintendence and Providence, as being a Thing so far from useful, (they think,) that ’tis rather mischievous and destructive of God’s Creatures. But the Answer is easy, viz. That as to Man, those Creatures are not without their great Uses, particularly in the Cure of[] some of the most stubborn Diseases; however, if they were not, there would be no Injustice for God to make a Set of such noxious Creatures, as Rods and Scourges, to execute the divine Chastisements upon ungrateful and sinful Men. And I am apt to think that the Nations which know not God, are the most annoy’d with those noxious Reptiles, and other pernicious Creatures. As to the Animals themselves, their Poyson is no doubt of some great and especial Use to themselves, serving to the more easy Conquest, and sure Capture of their Prey, which might otherwise be too resty and strong, and if once escap’d, would hardly be again recover’d, by Reason of their swifter Motion, and the Help of their Legs; besides all which, this their Poyson may be probably of very great Use to the Digestion of their Food.
And as to the innocuous Part of the Reptile-Kind, they as well deserve our Notice for their Harmlesness, as the others did for their Poyson. For as those are endow’d with Poyson, because they are predaceous; so these need it not, because their Food is near at hand, and may be obtain’d without Strife and Contest, the next Earth[k] affording Food to such as can terebrate, and make Way into it by their Vermicular Faculty; and the next Vegetable being Food to others that can climb and reach[l], or but crawl to it.
FOOTNOTES:
[a] Notwithstanding I have before, in [Book IV. Chap. 12. Note (p)], taken Notice of the Earth-Worm; yet it being a good Example of the Creator’s wise and curious Workmanship, in even this meanest Branch of the Creation, I shall superadd a few farther Remarks from Drs. Willis and Tyson. Saith Willis, Lumbricus terrestris, licet vile & contemptibile habetur, Organa vitalia, necnon & alia viscera, & membra divino artificio admirabiliter fabrefacta sortitur: totius corporis compages musculorum annularium catena est, quorum fibræ orbiculares contractæ quemque annulum, prius amplum, & dilatum, angustiorem & longiorem reddunt. [This Muscle in Earth-Worms, I find is spiral, as in a good Measure is their Motion likewise; so that by this Means they can, (like the Worm of an Augre,) the better bore their Passage into the Earth. Their reptile Motion also, may be explain’d by a Wire wound on a Cylinder, which when slipp’d off, and one End extended and held fast, will bring the other nearer it. So the Earth-Worm, having shot out, or extended its Body, (which is with a Wreathing,) it takes hold by those small Feet it hath, and so contracts the hinder Part of its Body. Thus the curious and learned Dr. Tyson, Phil. Trans. Nᵒ. 147.] Nam proinde cùm portio corporis superior elongata, & exporrecta, ad spatium alterius extenditur, ibidemque plano affigitur, ad ipsum quasi ad centrum portio corporis inferior relaxata, & abbreviata facile pertrabitur. Pedunculi serie quadruplici, per totam longitudinem Lumbrici disponuntur; his quasi totidem uncis, partem modò hanc, modò istam, plano affigit, dum alteram exporrigit, aut post se ducit. Supra oris hiatum, Proboscide, quâ terram perforat & elevat, donatur. And then he goes on with the other Parts that fall under View, the Brain, the Gullet, the Heart, the spermatick Vessels, the Stomachs and Intestines, the Foramina on the Top of the Back, adjoyning to each Ring, supplying the Place of Lungs, and other Parts. Willis de Anim. Brut. P. 1. c. 3.
[c] There is a great Deal of geometrical Neatness and Nicety, in the sinuous Motion of Snakes, and other Serpents. For the assisting in which Action, the annular Scales under their Body are very remarkable, lying cross the Belly, contrary to what those in the Back, and rest of the Body do; also as the Edges of the foremost Scales lye over the Edges of their following Scales, from Head to Tail; so those Edges run out a little beyond, or over their following Scales; so as that when each Scale is drawn back, or set a little upright by its Muscle, the outer Edge thereof, (or Foot it may be call’d,) is rais’d also a little from the Body, to lay hold on the Earth, and so promote and facilitate the Serpent’s Motion. This is what may be easily seen in the Slough, or Belly of the Serpent-kind. But there is another admirable Piece of Mechanism, that my Antipathy to those Animals hath prevented my prying into; and that is, that every Scale hath a distinct Muscle, one End of which is tack’d to the Middle of its Scale; the other, to the upper Edge of its following Scale. This Dr. Tyson found in the Rattle-Snake, and I doubt not is in the whole Tribe.
[d] The wise Author of Nature, having deny’d Feet and Claws to enable Snails to creep and climb, hath made them amends in a Way more commodious for their State of Life, by the broad Skin along each Side of the Belly, and the undulating Motion observable there. By this latter ’tis they creep; by the former, afflicted with the glutinous Slime emitted from the Snail’s Body, they adhere firmly and securely to all Kinds of Superficies, partly by the Tenacity of their Slime, and partly by the Pressure of the Atmosphere. Concerning this Part, (which he calls the Snail’s Feet,) and their Undulation, See Dr. Lister’s Exercit. Anat. 1. §. 1. and 37.