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half fowl and half fifh by our feamen -, but, on 

 a ftri6t inquiry, I think, they mull hold the 

 place of perfeél birds, partaking of no other 

 animal nature : for, though their little wings 

 appear, at firfl: fight, to be fcaly fins, yet, on 

 applying magnifying glaffes, they plainly difco- 

 ver themfelves to be covered with minute fea- 

 thers, having tubes or quills, ihafts and webs, 

 as larger feathers have. 



I believe it would be a vain attempt, in the 

 moft knowing naturalifl, to think of ranging 

 all the produftions of nature, animals, vege- 

 tables, and minerals, in fuch a true and natural 

 order, that each particular body fhould ftand 

 precifely in its proper place, between two other 

 bodies that juftly and naturally Ihould go before 

 and follow after it. There arife infurmountable 

 difficulties, when we go about to confider what 

 relation any one body or thing bears to another : 

 fometimes, indeed, the chain of connexion may 

 be carried on, in feeming regular links, for a 

 little way ; but we fball find it impoffible for hu-» 

 man judgment to continue it to any great length. 



