156 The Wisdom of GOD Parti. 



to be a Fable, and rejedted and exploded by all 

 Men, thofe Birds being well krtown to have Legs 

 and Feet as well as others, and thofe not (hort, 

 fmall, nor feeble ones, but fufficiently great and 

 ftrong, and ann'd with crooked Talons, as being 

 the Members of Birds of Prey. 



It is alfo very remarkable, that all flying Infedls 

 Ihould be cover'd with flielly Scales, like Armour, 

 partly to fecure them from external Violence, 

 from Injuries by Blows and Preflures; partly to 

 defend their tender Mufcles from the Heat of the 

 Sun-beams, which would be apt to parch and 

 dry them up, being of fmall Bulk; partly alfo 

 to reftrain the Spirits, and to prevent their Eva- 

 poration. 



I fhall now add another Inflance of the Wif- 

 dom of Nature, or rather the God of Nature, in 

 adapting the Parts of the fame Animal one to a- 

 nother, and that is, the proportioning the Length 

 of the Neck to that of the Legs. For feeing ter- 

 reflrial Animals, as well Birds as Quadrupeds, 

 are endu'd with Legs, upon which they ftand, 

 and wherewith they transfer themfelves from 

 Place to Place to gather their Food, and for o- 

 ther Conveniences of Life, and fo the Trunk of 

 their Body muft needs be elevated above the Su- 

 perficies of the Earth, fo that they could not con- 

 veniently either gather their Food or Drink if 

 they wanted a Neck, therefore Nature hath not 

 only furnifli'd them therewith, but with fuch an 

 one as is commenfurable to their Legs, except 

 here the Elephant, which hath indeed a fliorc 



Neck, 



