A 



^ ( 6G ) 



iValcs, (taken from the belly of the Fifh, where they are the fniaUeft,) 

 as it appeared through the microfcope. 



Phite III. fig. 1, ABCD, exhibits this fcale ; it was taken from the 

 belly of a large Eel, which, next the head was of the thicknefs of 

 feven ting-ers or thereabouts : on the back and fides of this Fifli the 

 fcales are larger. The greatefl part of this fcale, ADC \\ as covered 

 by two others. The pait B, was placed towards the tail, and in this 

 pofition were all the fcales ; they were all princijiall}^ compol'ed of 

 a kind of globules or little balls, which globules in many places ex- 

 hibited an appearance, as if they were covered with a cobweb, which 

 by reafon of its exceflive finenefs, could not be exprefled in the draw- 

 ing.* In thefe fcales the globules compofing them were very tranf- 

 parent, though ibme more than others ; again, Ibme had in them a 

 dark fpot. Thefe opaque globules lying in rows contiguous to each 

 other, produced the appearance of divers circles or rings on the face 

 of the fcale. And although I did not obferve thefe fcales to be e.\- 

 a6lly alike, yet the circles or rings feemed to me to be of the fame 

 number in all of them, whence I was led to conclude, that the fcale 

 had been every year augmented by the addition of one circle, and 

 confequently, that, as there were feven circles in this fcale, this Eel 

 was probably feven years old. Thefe circles are marked in^. i, by 

 the letters EFGH IK L, and at X the fcale is reprefented of the 

 fame fize as it appeared to the naked eye. 



Having examined the fcales on the body of a very large Eel, I 

 perceived that thofe on the back and belly of the Fifli were placed in 

 regular and even courfes behind each other, but that thofe between 

 the back and the belly were many of them laid obliquely, fome 

 towards the belly and others towards the back, but all fo dil'nofed 

 as to cover the fkin exactly in every part. 



* This appearance feems to have been afterwards more fully iiiv^nignted by the Auihor, 

 and explained by a drawing, as will appear in the following pag-S. 



