ae 
“OK THE NATURAL-HISTORY 
jul read. -Thofe which were intended to live 
in the water, have a number of feathers that crow 
clofe together ; and their bodies are covered with 
-a warm down, which preferves them from the 
fevere cold. Their feathers: too are glofled over 
with an oil, that prevents the wet from penetrat- 
ing (that is, coming through) them. 
‘That good Being has furnifhed them with a 
little bag of oil, which grows near their tail:’ all 
Birds indeed have this bag; but-it is much larger 
in water-fowls, -becaufe they have more: o¢ca- 
fion for it. When their feathers wet rough, they 
{queeze this oil bag with their bill, then they draw _ 
the bill over their feathers, which makes them ‘ 
fmooth and glofly, and prevents ‘the water trom 
wetting them, 
» We obferve too that.they have all webbed feet ; 
they ufe thefe like oars, in the water, to pufh 
themfelves forwards; as they fpread them very 
wide, and ftrike them againft the water, they can 
move on very faft ;-and.when they draw them up 
to their bodies, then they bring their toes clofe 
together, fo as not to {top.their motion. » 
‘The Swans neck is very long, becaufe he lives 
- aupon fifh, and upon weeds which ‘grow under 
‘water. é 
4 “ea Me 


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