CHAP. I.
Of their Prone Posture.
In taking a View of this Part of the Animal World, so far as the Structure of their Bodies is conformable to that of Man, I shall pass them by, and only take notice of some Peculiarities in them, which are plain Indications of Design, and the Divine Super-intendence and Management. And, 1. The most visible apparent Variation is the Prone Posture of their Body: Concerning which, I shall take notice only of two Things, the Parts ministring thereto, and the Use and Benefit thereof.
I. As for the Parts, ’tis observable, that in all these Creatures, the Legs are made exactly conformable to this Posture, as those in Man are to his erect Posture: And what is farther observable also, is, that the Legs and Feet are always admirably suited to the Motion and Exercises of each Animal: In some they are made for Strength only, to support a vast, unwieldy Body[a]; in others they are made for Agility and Swiftness[b], in some they are made for only Walking and Running, in others for that, and Swimming too[c]; in others for Walking and Digging[d]; and in others for Walking and Flying[e]: In some they are made more lax and weak, for the plainer Lands; in others rigid, stiff, and less flexible[f], for traversing the Ice, and dangerous Precipices of the high Mountains[g]; in some they are shod with tough and hard Hoofs, some whole, some cleft; in others with only a callous Skin. In which latter, ’tis observable that the Feet are composed of Toes, some short for bare-going; some long to supply the Place of a Hand[h]; some armed with long and strong Talons, to catch, hold, and tear the Prey; some fenced only with short Nails, to confirm the Steps in Running and Walking.
II. As the Posture of Man’s Body is the fittest for a rational Animal, so is the Prone Posture of Quadrupeds the most useful and beneficial to themselves, as also most serviceable to Man. For they are hereby better made for their gathering their Food, to pursue their Prey, to leap, to climb, to swim, to guard themselves against their Enemies, and in a word, to do whatever may be of principal Use to themselves; as also they are hereby rendered more useful and serviceable to Man, for carrying his Burdens, for tilling his Ground, yea, even for his Sports and Diversions.
And now I might here add a Survey of the excellent Contrivances of the Parts ministring to this Posture of the four-footed Animals, the admirable Structure of the Bones[i], the Joints and Muscles; their various Sizes and Strength; their commodious Lodgment and Situation, the nice Æquipoise of the Body, with a great deal more to the same purpose. But I should be tedious to insist minutely upon such Particulars, and besides, I have given a Touch upon these Kinds of Things, when I spake of Man.
Passing by therefore many Things of this Kind, that might deserve Remark, I shall only consider some of the Parts of Quadrupeds, differing from what is found in Man[k], and which are manifest Works of Design.
FOOTNOTES:
[a] The Elephant being a Creature of prodigious Weight, the largest of all Animals; Pliny saith, hath its Legs accordingly made of an immense Strength, like Pillars, rather than Legs.
[b] Deer, Hares, and other Creatures, remarkable for Swiftness, have their Legs accordingly slender, but withal strong, and every way adapted to their Swiftness.
[c] Thus the Feet of the Otter are made, the Toes being all conjoined with Membranes, as the Feet of Geese and Ducks are. And in Swimming, it is observable, that when the Foot goes forward in the Water, the Toes are close; but when backward, they are spread out, whereby they more forcibly strike the Water, and drive themselves forward. The same may be observed also in Ducks and Geese, &c.
Of the Castor or Beaver, the French Academists say, The Structure of the Feet was very extraordinary, and sufficiently demonstrated, that Nature hath designed this Animal to live in the Water, as well as upon Land. For although it had four Feet, like Terrestrial Animals, yet the hindmost seemed more proper to swim than walk with, the Five Toes of which they were compos’d, being joined together like those of a Goose by a Membrane, which serves this Animal to swim with. But the fore ones were made otherwise; for there was no Membrane which held those Toes joined together: And this was requisite for the Conveniency of this Animal, which useth them as Hands like a Squirrel, when he eats. Memoirs for a Nat. Hist. of Animals, pag. 84.
[d] The Mole’s Feet are a remarkable Instance.
[e] The Wings of the Bat are a prodigious Deviation from Nature’s ordinary Way. So ’tis in the Virginian Squirrel, whose Skin is extended between the Fore-Legs and its Body.
[f] Of the Legs of the Elk, the French Academists say, Although some Authors report, that there are Elks in Moscovia, whose Legs are jointless; there is great Probability, that this Opinion is founded on what is reported of those Elks of Muscovia, as well as of Cæsar’s Alce, and Pliny’s Machlis, that they have Legs so stiff and inflexible, that they do run on Ice without slipping; which is a Way that is reported that they have to save themselves from the Wolves, &c. ibid. p. 108.
[g] The common tame Goat (whose Habitation is generally on Mountains and Rocks, and who delighteth to walk on the tops of Pales, Houses, &c. and to take great and seemingly dangerous Leaps) I have observ’d, hath the Joints of the Legs very stiff and strong, the Hoof hollow underneath, and its Edges sharp. The like, I doubt not, is to be found the Wild Goat, considering what Dr. Scheuchzer hath said of its climbing the most dangerous Craggs of the Alps, and the Manner of their hunting it. Vid. Iter. Alpin. 3. p. 9.
[h] Thus in Apes and Monkeys, in the Beaver before, and divers others.
[i] It is a singular Provision Nature hath made for the Strength of the Lion, if that be true, which Galen saith is reported of its Bones being not hollow (as in other Animals) but solid: Which Report he thus far confirms, that most of the Bones are so; and that those in the Legs, and some other Parts, have only a small and obscure Cavity in them. Vid. Galen. de Us. Part. L. 11. c. 18.
[k] These Sorts of Differences in the Mechanism of Animals, upon the Score of the Position of their Bodies, occur so often, that it would be no mean Service to Anatomy——if any one would give us a History of those Variations of the Parts of Animals, which spring from the different Postures of their Bodies. Drake Anat. V. 1. B. 1. c. 17.