( yr ) 



I have often confidered with myfelf, refpedling the longevity of 

 Fiflies, and I am perfuaded that in deep and extenfive waters, and in 

 running dreams, where the water does not corrupt or putrefy, 

 they are not hable to any difeafes, nor ever die of old age. Such 

 wounds as a Fifh may receive, either by fwallowing the hook baited 

 to catch it, and which, being broken off and remaining in the 

 fiomach, may caufe an exulceration ; or by devouring fome iubftance 

 which it cannot digeft, are not to be deemed difeal'es, but accidents. 

 Now, terreftrial animals, through great fatigue, heat, cold, hunger 

 or thirii, may eafily fall into diftempers and die, but to thofe acci- 

 dents Fiflies are feklom or never fubjeft, 



Fird, as to fatigue, this in Fiflies cannot be great, becaufe their 

 chief exercife confifls in the lai'ger purfuing the fmaller, in quell of 

 them for food ; or in the flight of the fmaller ones from the larger ; 

 and in tJiefe exertions the fine juices of their blood can in no degree, 

 or at lead but very little, be exhaufted ; becaufe in fuch kind of pur- 

 fuit or flight, no evaporation can be produced from their bodies 

 througli heat or drynefs; befides, they never want for drink, by 

 which means their blood, and the other juices of their bodies are 

 kept continually diluted, fo that the circulation is conflantly pre- 

 ferved. 



No one can pretend to fay that a Fifli is ever killed by heat, for 

 many kinds of fifli, in the middle of fummer, and in the burning heat 

 of the fun, do either play, as it were, on the furface of the water ; 

 or hide themfelves under the leaves, weeds, or otlier fubflances at 

 the bottom. 



As to cold, we do not know that Fifli in deep waters ever perifli 

 with cold ; but we know by ex*perience, that at fuch feafons they 

 feek the bottom of the water. 



As to food, they are not eafily killed by hunger ; many Fiflies live 

 for five or fix months fpace without any other fupport than what they 



