Page:A description of Greenland.djvu/115

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of Greenland.
79
Breath, becauſe they are on the Top of his Head; or queſtion, that the Clap-Myſſes (a large Kind of Seal) his Eyes are ſuch, becauſe they are placed in the hindermoſt part of the Head? Ought we not rather to think, that an all-wiſe Creator has placed this Horn horizontally, to the End, that it may not be of any Hindrance to the Courſe and Swimming of this Animal in the Water, which would happen, if it did riſe vertically? With this Horn he bores Holes in the Ice and keeps it open.Furthermore this Horn ſerves many other Ends, as to ſtir up his Food from the Bottom of the Sea, as he is ſaid to feed upon ſmall Sea-Weeds, and likewiſe therewith to bore Holes in the Ice, in order to fetch freſh Air. The Inference theſe Gentlemen are pleaſed to draw from the Generality of Fiſhes and Sea-Animals having no ſuch Paws or Claws as Land-Animals have, is as lame, and of as little Force. And it is much leſs abſurd to hold, that Sea-Animals have ſomething common with thoſe of the Land, as it is confeſs'd, that many of them have a great Reſemblance together in Figure and Shape, viz. Sea-Calves, Sea-
Dogs,