The Description of a New World, Called the Blazing-World

The Spirits answered, That unless the Beasts of the field were barred out of manured fields and gardens, they would pick and chuse the best Fruits as well as Men; and you may plainly observe it, said they, in Squirrels and Monkies, how they are the best Chusers of Nuts and Apples; and how Birds do pick and feed in the most delicious fruits, and Worms on the best roots, and most savoury herbs; by which you may see, that those Creatures live and feed better then men do, except you will say, that artificial Cookery is better and more wholsome then the natural. Again, the Empress asked, Whether the first Man gave Names to all the several sorts of Fishes in the Sea, and fresh Waters? No, answered the Spirits, for he was an Earthly, and not a Watery Creature; and therefore could not know the several sorts of Fishes. Why, replied the Empress, he was no more an Airy Creature then he was a Watery one, and yet he gave Names to the several sorts of Fowls and Birds of the Air. Fowls, answered they, are partly Airy, and partly Earthly Creatures, not onely because they resemble Beasts and Men in their flesh, but because their rest and dwelling places are on Earth; for they build their Nests, lay their Eggs, and hatch their Young, not in the Air, but on the Earth.