Chapter 79

CHAP. II.Of the Inhabitants of theWaters.

Of the Inhabitants of theWaters.

I have now gone through that Part of the Animal World, which I proposed to survey, the Animals inhabiting the Land.

As to the other Part of the Terraqueous Globe, the Waters, and the Inhabitants thereof, not having Time to finish what I have begun, on that large Subject, I shall be forced to quit it for the present, altho’ we have there as ample and glorious a Scene of the Infinite Creator’s Power and Art, as hath been already set forth on the dry Land. For the Waters themselves are an admirable Work of God[a], and of infinite Use[b]tothat Part of the Globe already surveyed; and the prodigious Variety[c], and Multitudes of curious and wonderful Things observable in its Inhabitants of all Sorts, are an inexhaustible Scene of the Creator’s Wisdom and Power. The vast Bulk of some[d], and prodigious Minuteness of others[e], together with the incomparable Contrivance and Structure of the Bodies[f]of all; the Provisions and Supplies of Food afforded to such an innumerable Company of Eaters, and that in an Element, unlikely one would think, to afford any great Store of Supplies[g]; the Business of Respiration perform’din a Way so different from, but equivalent to what is in Land Animals[h]; the Adjustment of the Organs of Vision[i]to that Element in which the Animal liveth; the Poise[k], the Support[l], the Motion of the Body[m], forwardswith great Swiftness, and upwards and downwards with great Readiness and Agility, and all without Feet and Hands, and ten thousand Things besides; all these Things, I say, do lay before us so various, so glorious, and withal so inexhaustible a Scene of the divine Power, Wisdom and Goodness, that it would be in vain to engage my self in so large a Province, without allotting as much Time and Pains to it, as the preceding Survey hath cost me. Passing by therefore that Part of our Globe, I shall only say somewhat very briefly concerning theinsensitiveCreatures, particularly those of thevegetable Kingdom, and so conclude this Survey.

FOOTNOTES:[a]Besides their absolute Necessity, and great Use to the World, there are several Topics, from whence the Waters may be demonstrated to be God’s Work; as, the creating so vast a Part of our Globe; the placing it commodiously therein, and giving it Bounds; the Methods keeping it sweet and clean, by its Saltness, by the Tides, and Agitations by the Winds; the making the Waters useful to the Vegetation of Plants, and for Food to Animals, by the noble Methods of sweetning them; and many other Things besides, which are insisted on in that Part of my Survey.[b]Plinyhaving named diversMirabilia Aquarum, to shew their Power; then proceeds to their Uses, viz.Eædem cadentes omnium terrâ nascentium causa fiunt, prorsus mirabili naturâ, siquis velit reputare, ut fruges gignantur, arbores fruticesque vivant, in cœlum migrare aquas, animamque etiam herbis vitalem inde deferre: justâ confessione, omnes terra quoque vires aquarum esse beneficii. Quapropter ante omnia ipsarum potentia exempla ponemus: Cunctas enim quis mortalium enamerare queat?And then he goes on with an Enumeration of some Waters famed for being medicinal, or some other unusual Quality.Plin.L. 31. c. 1. & 2.[c]Plinyreckons 176 Kinds in the Waters, whose Names may be met with in his L. 32. c. 11. but he is short in his Account.[d]Pliny, L. 9. c. 3. saith, that in theIndianSea there areBalenæ quaternûm jugerum(i.e. 960 Feet)Pristes 200 cubitorum(i.e. 300 Feet.) And L. 32. c. 1. he mentionsWhales600 Foot long, and 360 broad, that came into a River ofArabia. If the Reader hath a mind, he may see his Reason why the largest Animals are bred in the Sea, L. 9. c. 2.[e]As the largest, so the most minute Animals are bred in the Waters, as those in Pepper-water; and such as make the green Scum on the Waters, or make them seem as if green, and many others. SeeBook IV. Chap. 11. Note (n), (v).[f]It might be here shewn, that the Bodies of all the several Inhabitants of the Waters are the best contrived and suited to that Place and Business in the Waters, which is proper for them; that particularly their Bodies are cloathed and guarded, in the best Manner, with Scales, or Shells,&c.suitable to the Place they are to reside in, the Dangers they may there be exposed unto, and the Motion and Business they are there to perform: That the Center of Gravity (of great Consideration in that fluid Element,) is always plac’d in the fittest Part of the Body: That the Shape of their Bodies, (especially the more swift,) is the most commodious for making Way through the Water, and most agreeable to geometrical Rules; and many other Matters besides would deserve a Place here, were they not too long for Notes, and that I shall anticipate what will be more proper for another Place, and more accurately treated of there.[g]See beforeBook IV. Chap. 11.[h]Galenwas aware of the Respiration of Fishes by theirBranchiæ. For having said, that Fishes have no Occasion of a Voice, neither respire through the Mouth as Land Animals do, he saith,Sed earum, quas Branchias nuncupamus, constructio, ipsis vice Pulmonis est. Cùm enim crebris ac tenuibus foraminibus sint Branchiæ hæ interceptæ, aëri quidem & vapori perviis, subtilioribus tamen quàm pro mole aquæ; hanc quidem extra repellunt, illa autem promptè intromittunt.Galen de Us. Part. L. 6. c. 9. So alsoPlinyheld, that Fishes respired by their Gills; but he saithAristotlewas of a different Opinion.Plin.L. 9. c. 7. And soAristotleseems to be in hisHist. Animal.L. 8. c. 2. and in other Places. And I may add our famous Dr.Needham. See hisDe form. Fœtu, Chap. 6. andAnswer toSeverinus.[i]A protuberant Eye would have been inconvenient for Fishes, by hindring their Motion in so dense a Medium as Water is; or else their brushing through so thick a Medium would have been apt to wear, and prejudice their Eyes; therefore theirCorneais flat. To make amends for which, as also for the Refraction of Water, different from that of the Air, the wise Contriver of the Eye, hath made theCrystallinespherical in Fishes, which in Animals, living in the Air, islenticular, and more flat.[k]As I have shew’d before, that the Bodies of Birds are nicely pois’d to swim in the Air; so are those of Fishes for the Water, every Part of the Body being duly balanc’d, and the Center of Gravity, (as I said inNote (f)), accurately fix’d. And to prevent Vacillation, some of the Fins serve, particularly those of the Belly; asBorelliprov’d by cutting off the Belly-fins, which caus’d the Fish to reel to the right and left Hand, and render’d it unable to stand steadily in an upright Posture.[l]To enable the Fish to abide at the Top, or Bottom, or any other Part of the Waters, the Air-Bladder is given to most Fishes, which as ’tis more full or empty, makes the Body more or less buoyant.[m]TheTailis the grand Instrument of the Motion of the Body; not the Fins, as some imagine. For which Reason, Fishes are more musculous and strong in that Part, than in all the rest of their Body, according as it is in the motive Parts of all Animals, in the pectoral Muscles of Birds, the Thighs of Man,&c.If the Reader hath a Mind to see the admirable Method, how Fishes row themselves by their Tail, and other Curiosities relating to their Swimming; I shall refer him toBorellide mot. Anim.Part. 1. Chap. 23. particularly to Prop. 213.

[a]Besides their absolute Necessity, and great Use to the World, there are several Topics, from whence the Waters may be demonstrated to be God’s Work; as, the creating so vast a Part of our Globe; the placing it commodiously therein, and giving it Bounds; the Methods keeping it sweet and clean, by its Saltness, by the Tides, and Agitations by the Winds; the making the Waters useful to the Vegetation of Plants, and for Food to Animals, by the noble Methods of sweetning them; and many other Things besides, which are insisted on in that Part of my Survey.

[b]Plinyhaving named diversMirabilia Aquarum, to shew their Power; then proceeds to their Uses, viz.Eædem cadentes omnium terrâ nascentium causa fiunt, prorsus mirabili naturâ, siquis velit reputare, ut fruges gignantur, arbores fruticesque vivant, in cœlum migrare aquas, animamque etiam herbis vitalem inde deferre: justâ confessione, omnes terra quoque vires aquarum esse beneficii. Quapropter ante omnia ipsarum potentia exempla ponemus: Cunctas enim quis mortalium enamerare queat?And then he goes on with an Enumeration of some Waters famed for being medicinal, or some other unusual Quality.Plin.L. 31. c. 1. & 2.

[c]Plinyreckons 176 Kinds in the Waters, whose Names may be met with in his L. 32. c. 11. but he is short in his Account.

[d]Pliny, L. 9. c. 3. saith, that in theIndianSea there areBalenæ quaternûm jugerum(i.e. 960 Feet)Pristes 200 cubitorum(i.e. 300 Feet.) And L. 32. c. 1. he mentionsWhales600 Foot long, and 360 broad, that came into a River ofArabia. If the Reader hath a mind, he may see his Reason why the largest Animals are bred in the Sea, L. 9. c. 2.

[e]As the largest, so the most minute Animals are bred in the Waters, as those in Pepper-water; and such as make the green Scum on the Waters, or make them seem as if green, and many others. SeeBook IV. Chap. 11. Note (n), (v).

[f]It might be here shewn, that the Bodies of all the several Inhabitants of the Waters are the best contrived and suited to that Place and Business in the Waters, which is proper for them; that particularly their Bodies are cloathed and guarded, in the best Manner, with Scales, or Shells,&c.suitable to the Place they are to reside in, the Dangers they may there be exposed unto, and the Motion and Business they are there to perform: That the Center of Gravity (of great Consideration in that fluid Element,) is always plac’d in the fittest Part of the Body: That the Shape of their Bodies, (especially the more swift,) is the most commodious for making Way through the Water, and most agreeable to geometrical Rules; and many other Matters besides would deserve a Place here, were they not too long for Notes, and that I shall anticipate what will be more proper for another Place, and more accurately treated of there.

[g]See beforeBook IV. Chap. 11.

[h]Galenwas aware of the Respiration of Fishes by theirBranchiæ. For having said, that Fishes have no Occasion of a Voice, neither respire through the Mouth as Land Animals do, he saith,Sed earum, quas Branchias nuncupamus, constructio, ipsis vice Pulmonis est. Cùm enim crebris ac tenuibus foraminibus sint Branchiæ hæ interceptæ, aëri quidem & vapori perviis, subtilioribus tamen quàm pro mole aquæ; hanc quidem extra repellunt, illa autem promptè intromittunt.Galen de Us. Part. L. 6. c. 9. So alsoPlinyheld, that Fishes respired by their Gills; but he saithAristotlewas of a different Opinion.Plin.L. 9. c. 7. And soAristotleseems to be in hisHist. Animal.L. 8. c. 2. and in other Places. And I may add our famous Dr.Needham. See hisDe form. Fœtu, Chap. 6. andAnswer toSeverinus.

[i]A protuberant Eye would have been inconvenient for Fishes, by hindring their Motion in so dense a Medium as Water is; or else their brushing through so thick a Medium would have been apt to wear, and prejudice their Eyes; therefore theirCorneais flat. To make amends for which, as also for the Refraction of Water, different from that of the Air, the wise Contriver of the Eye, hath made theCrystallinespherical in Fishes, which in Animals, living in the Air, islenticular, and more flat.

[k]As I have shew’d before, that the Bodies of Birds are nicely pois’d to swim in the Air; so are those of Fishes for the Water, every Part of the Body being duly balanc’d, and the Center of Gravity, (as I said inNote (f)), accurately fix’d. And to prevent Vacillation, some of the Fins serve, particularly those of the Belly; asBorelliprov’d by cutting off the Belly-fins, which caus’d the Fish to reel to the right and left Hand, and render’d it unable to stand steadily in an upright Posture.

[l]To enable the Fish to abide at the Top, or Bottom, or any other Part of the Waters, the Air-Bladder is given to most Fishes, which as ’tis more full or empty, makes the Body more or less buoyant.

[m]TheTailis the grand Instrument of the Motion of the Body; not the Fins, as some imagine. For which Reason, Fishes are more musculous and strong in that Part, than in all the rest of their Body, according as it is in the motive Parts of all Animals, in the pectoral Muscles of Birds, the Thighs of Man,&c.If the Reader hath a Mind to see the admirable Method, how Fishes row themselves by their Tail, and other Curiosities relating to their Swimming; I shall refer him toBorellide mot. Anim.Part. 1. Chap. 23. particularly to Prop. 213.

If the Reader hath a Mind to see the admirable Method, how Fishes row themselves by their Tail, and other Curiosities relating to their Swimming; I shall refer him toBorellide mot. Anim.Part. 1. Chap. 23. particularly to Prop. 213.

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