FISHES IN RELIGION. 39 



so common not only for enclosing pictures, seals, mono- 

 grams, etc., but even for rings and ornaments, is the 

 symbol of the fish, and the representations of the Virgin 

 " in a canopy " or vesica piscis, are supposed therefore to 

 have a specially Christian significance ; but if it has any at 

 all, it is a very heathenish one. 



