On the nature of the fc ales of Fifloes, and hoiv the age of thofe Ani- 

 mals may be determined by obfervation of tbe fcales ; The Author's 

 reafonings and opinion refpeSling the Longevity of this part of the 

 Animal Creation. 



JlT is the opinion of the Jews that they are forbidden by their law 

 to ufe tlie Eel as food, becaufe that Fifh is faid to be without fcales ; 

 and in the book of Deuteronomy , Chap. xiv. v. lo. it is written, 

 " whatfoever hath not fins and fcales, ye may not eat, it is unclean 

 unto you ;" and in Leviticus, xi. v. 12, are thefe words, (which they 

 apply to the lame fpecies of Fifli,) "whatfoever hath no fins nor 

 " fcales in the waters, that fliall be an abomination unto you. 



But when I examined this kind of Fifh, by the microfcope, after 

 I had cleared away that vifcous or flimy matter which adheres to 

 them, I found tlieir (kins to be as completely covered with fcales as 

 thofe of any other river Fifli, which fcales (though very fmall and 

 thin) lie as clofe together and are placed one on another in as regu- 

 lar order as can be obferved in any other Fifli whatever, whetlier of 

 frefh or fait ^vater. Mgreover, this fpecies of Fifli is provided with 

 fins equally as others, namel}^ one at the head, and one above, 

 and another below, the tail ; and becaufe I apprehend that this difco- 

 very of m.ine is new, at leaf! to perfons of the Jewifli nation, (for to 

 this day they deem this delicate Fifh to be unclean, and hold it as an 

 abomination to them,) 1 determined to give a figure of one of thefe 



I 



