[ r 94 ] 
amphibious is adopted by the writers of thehifloryof 
animals, let us retain it dill, and examine fome of this 
clafs, and, by confldering their natural ceconomy 
refpedlively, endeavour to range them according to 
that flandard in the following manner. They are 
fuch as : 
1. Enjoy their chief fun&ions by land, but occafi- 
onally go into the water. 
2. Such as chiefly inhabit the water, but occaflon- 
ally go a fhore, Of the latter there are but very few 
fpecies. And although none of the winged tribe are 
to be ranged under this clafs, yet as many of them 
remain long upon the water, in fearch of their proper 
food, we dial l enumerate fome peculiar advantages, 
which have been allowed to leveral of them by the 
bountiful wifdom of the Creator, m order to render 
them the more able to obtain it; and this will make 
one curious part of my prefent purpofe, not generally 
known. 
The difpute mentioned between my friend and me; 
turned upon the clafs of the phocae, which confifts 
of a very numerous tribe of different fpecies: I fhall 
therefore endeavour to fhew that none of them can 
live chiefly in the waters, but that their chief 
enjoyment of the functions of life is on fhore. 
Thefe animals are really quadrupeds; but, as their 
chief food is fifh, they are under a neceflity of going 
out to fea to hunt their prey, and to great diflances 
from fhore ; taking care that, how ever great the 
diftance, rocks or (mail iflands are at hand, as refling 
places when they are tired, or their bodies become 
too much macerated in the water; and they return to 
the places of their ufual refort to lleep, copulate, and 
