4 FISHES. 



preponderates, while in those of fresh-water, it is 

 largely, or wholly composed of nitrogen. 



The following fact recorded by Mr. Jesse 

 shows that the possession of an air-bladder may, 

 under some circumstances, expose fishes to danger. 



"On the 9th, 10th, and 11th days of April, 

 1837, a friend of mine, then residing at Hastings, 

 observed several fish floating on the surface of the 

 water, and men and boys wading in, and pulling 

 them out, the fish apparently making no effort 

 to escape. On inquiry, he found that they were 

 all Gurnards, no other fish exhibiting this phe- 

 nomenon at that time, although he was informed 

 that, a few years before, some Conger Eels were, 

 during severe weather, in the same predicament. 



" Some of the fishermen attributed the help- 

 lessness of the Gurnards to the circumstance of 

 their having been blinded by the cold. Others 

 said, the fish mistook the flakes of snow, which 

 fell on the surface of the sea, for insects; and 

 that, by leaping up so constantly and eagerly, 

 for the purpose of catching them, they at last 

 * blew themselves f meaning, that they so dis- 

 tended the air-bladder, that it lost its elasticity, 

 or power of contraction, and thus they became 

 helpless. On inspecting a fish just caught, the 

 eyes were perfect ; but upon opening the abdo- 

 men, and removing the air-bladder, the latter 

 was found extremely distended. It is probable 

 that the Gurnards came into shallow water in 

 search of food, and the shallow water being much 

 colder than the deep water, the fish became so 

 benumbed, that when they had once distended 

 the air-bladder to mount to the surface, the 

 muscles had not power to compress it, and hence 



