THE CRANE KIND. 293 



PART V. 



OF BIRDS OF THE CRANE KIND. 



CHAPTER I. 



OF BIRDS OF THE CRANE KIND IN GENERAL. 



THE progressions in nature from one class of 

 beings to another, are always by slow and almost 

 imperceptible degrees. She has peopled the woods 

 and the fields with a variety of the most beautiful 

 birds; and, to leave no part of her extensive 

 territories untenanted, she has stocked the waters 

 with its feathered inhabitants also : she has taken 

 the same care in providing for the wants of her 

 animals in this element, as she has done with 

 respect to those of the other: she has used as 

 much precaution to render water fowl fit for 

 swimming, as she did in forming land fowl for 

 flight: she has defended their feathers with a 

 natural oil, and united their toes by a webbed 

 membrane ; by which contrivances they have at 

 once security and motion. But between the 

 classes of land birds that shun the water, and of 

 water fowl that are made for swimming and 

 living on it, she has formed a very numerous tribe 

 of birds, that seem to partake of a middle nature ; 

 that, with divided toes, seemingly fitted to live 



