ICHTHYOLOGY. 



159 



Introiiuc- ous or cellular substance, applied on front of the lingual 

 ti(in. bone. It is never furnished with muscles capable of pro- 



^•^''■''^^ ducing any movement of extension or retraction, as in 

 quadrupeds. 



Fisiies cannot be said to be more highly favoured in re- 

 spect to the organs of toiwh than those of taste. The fa- 

 culty is greatly deadened over the general surface by the 

 coating of scales, and in the particular members by the in- 

 flexibility of the rays. It is chiefly confined to the lips, 

 and even these parts in many species are tiicmselves as 

 liard and insensible as bone. Certain soft and delicate ap- 

 pendages called barbies, possessed by many species, such 

 as the cod and loach, are supposed to enjoy a more deli- 

 cate perception of the sense of touch. It is by means of 

 the dermis that that peculiar matter, so remarkable for its 

 silvery metallic lustre, and ^^•hich bestows so much of bril- 

 liancy upon the class, is secreted beneath the scales. It is 

 composed of small polished plates resembling burnished sil- 

 ver, and capable of being removed by washing, either from 

 the skin itself, or from the inferior surfiice of the scales. It 

 is this substance that is used in the formation of false pearls. 

 It is also secreted by many species in the thickness of the 

 peritoneum, and in the envelopes supplied by that part to 

 particular viscera, especially the swimming bladder. The 

 scales of the majority of fishes are imbricated, that is, placed 

 partially over each other, like the tiles or slates of the roof 

 of a liouse. They are not equally distributed, nor of the 

 same form or consistence, over the general surface of the 

 body. The head is frequently destitute of scales, and those 

 of the lateral line of the body are distinguished from the 

 others by one or more small tubes by which they are per- 

 forated, and by otlier peculiarities.' 



It thus appears that the external senses of fishes convey 

 to them few lively or distinct impressions ; and by what- 

 ever scenes in nature they are surrounded, their percep- 

 tions are probably indistinct and dull. Their sexual emo, 

 tions, cold as their blood, indicate only individual wants. 

 Few species pair, or enjoy any connubial gratification, for 

 the males seek the eggs rather than tlie females which de- 

 posit them, and neither sex ever recognises its offspring. 

 At least the exceptions to these generalities are extremely 

 few, and the prevailing economy of fishes may be said in 

 all these respects to be exactly the reverse of that of birds. 

 These gay creatures of the sky have the power of survey- 

 ing distinctly at a glance an immeasurable extent of hori- 

 zon ; their acute perception of hearing appreciates all 

 sounds, and every intonation ; and their glad voices are ex- 

 quisitely skilled in their production. Though their bills 

 be hard, and their bodies covered by down and feathers, 

 they are by no means deficient in the sense of touch. They 

 enjoy all the delights of conjugal and parental affection, 

 and perform their incumbent duties with devotedness and 

 courage ; they cherish and defend their offspring, and will 

 sometimes die in that defence ; and of all the wonderful 

 labours of instinctive art, none is so beautiful as the forma- 

 tion of their mossy dwellings. With what deep and con- 

 tinuous affection does the female brood over her cherish- 

 ed treasures ! how unwearied is the gallant male in his ten- 

 der assiduities, and in the rich outpouring of that varied song 

 by which he seeks to soothe her sedentary task ! The same 

 principle of attachment and discrimination is even made 

 available in a state of domestication by the skill of all-en- 

 grossing man. A bird acquires a knowledge of its master, 

 and submits to and obeys that master's will ; and the proud 

 falcon, which in its natural state 



Doth dally with the wind, and scorn the sun, 

 will wheel in airy circles over a well-trained dog, or stoop 



its boldest flight at some familiar urchin's call. Other spe- 

 cies will even imitate man's noblest faculty, the power of 

 speech, — and it is thus with somewhat doubtfid feelings 

 that we deny to them the gift of reason. 



But the silent dweller in the deep knows few attach- 

 ments, expresses no language, cherishes no affections. 

 Constructing no dwelling, he merely shelters himself from 

 danger among the cavernous rocks of the ocean, or be- 

 neath the murky shade of the overhanging banks of ri- 

 vers ; and the cravings of hunger seem alone to exercise a 

 frequent or influential action over his monotonous move- 

 ments. We must not, ho^vever, suppose that the life of 

 fishes is not one of enjoyment, for we know that the great 

 Creator " careth for all his creatures ;" and it ought perhaps 

 rather to be said that \vc cannot appreciate the nature of 

 their feelings, than that they are in any way fore-doomed 

 to a negation of pleasvu'e. Assuredly, however, the hand 

 of nature has been most prodigal in bestowing on their ex- 

 ternal aspect every variety of adornment. Their special 

 forms are infinite, their proportions often most elegant, 

 their colours lively and diversified, and nothing seems want- 

 ing in them to excite the admiration of mankind. Indeed 

 it almost appears as if this prodigality of beauty was in- 

 tended solely for such an end. The brightness of metallic 

 splendour, the sparkling brilliancy of precious gems, the 

 milder effulgence of the hues of flowers, all combine to 

 signalise fishes as among the most beautiful objects of crea- 

 tion. When newly withdrawn from their native element, 

 or still gliding submerged in its liquid coolness, their co- 

 lours, fixed or iridescent, are seen mingling in streaks or 

 bands, or broader flashes, always elegant and symmetrical ; 

 sometimes richly contrasted, sometimes gradually softened 

 into each other ; and in all cases harmonizing with a chaste 

 fulness of effect, which Titian or Rubens might envy, but 

 ooidd never equal. For what reason, then, it has been 

 asked, has all this adornment been so lavishly bestowed on 

 creatures which can scarcely perceive each other amid the 

 dim and perpetual tv.'ilight of the deep ? Shakspeare has al- 

 ready said that there are " more things in heaven and earth 

 than are dream't of in our philosophy ;'' and we fear it is no 

 answer to the foregoing question to add, that the same ob- 

 servation applies with even greater truth to the " waters 

 beneath the earth." 



SECT. VI THE NUTRITION, MANDUCATION, AND DEGLUTI- 

 TION OF FISHES. 



The nutritive functions of fishes follow the same order 

 of progression as those of the other vertebrated classes ; 

 they seize and in some measure divide their food with their 

 teeth ; they digest it in the stomach, from whence it passes 

 into the intestinal canal, where it receives a supply of bile 

 from the liver, and frequently a liquid similar to that of 

 the pancreas ; the nutritive juices absorbed by vessels ana- 

 logous to lacteals, and probably taken up in part also di- 

 rectly by the veins, are mingled with the venous blood 

 which is flowing towards the heart, from whence it is push- 

 ed to the branchiae, in which, coming into contact with the 

 water, it is converted into arterial blood, and then pro- 

 ceeds to the nourishment of the whole body. As in other 

 animals, also, certain properties are carried off from the 

 blood by transpiration, the secreting power of the kid- 

 neys, &c. 



Fishes in general are extremely voracious, and the rule 

 of " eat or be eaten" applies to them with unusual force. 

 They are almost constantly engaged in the pursuit and 

 capture of their prey ; their degree of power in these re- 

 spects depending of course on the dimensions of the mouth 



' See Hist. Nat. det Poissont, l. i. chap. vi. 



