INTRODUCTION. 5X 



But are Fishes, constituting, as they do, the prin- 

 cipal inhabitants of by far the largest portion of our 

 globe, worthy of no greater attention than this? 

 Is their structure less wonderful, or are their habits 

 less interesting, than those of the animals with, 

 which we are for the most part better acquainted ? 

 On the contrary, is it not reasonable to suppose that 

 the investigation of the structure, and functions, 

 and habits of animals, so peculiarly circumstanced, 

 will open to us sources of admiration and delight, 

 as extensive as they are novel ; and, by furnishing 

 us with so many new associations, render us still 

 better informed with respect to animals, concerning 

 which, we may flatter ourselves, we have little or 

 nothing to know ? 



If it be, in general, true, that it is impossible to 

 be thoroughly acquainted with any one department 

 of science without having a considerable insight 

 into many others, it is no where more so than in 

 Zoology; each department of which is connected 

 by so many, and such intricate links with eveiy 

 other, that, in order to be accurately acquainted 

 with the organs and functions of any one tribe of 

 animals, it is essential that we be at least mode- 

 rately well informed respecting those of all the rest. 

 Could we suppose a person acquainted with merely 

 human anatomy and physiology, however perfectly, 

 how circumscribed would be his real knowledge of 

 the structm-e and offices even of the human frame I 

 Thus isolated, it would be, not knowledge, pro- 

 perly so called, but memory. But let such a person 



