230 ZOOLOGY. 



The eyes of fishes are larger, in proportion to their 

 size, than in quadrupeds, as we find the eye of the 

 cod-fish equal in size to that of the ox. 



The tongue of fishes is very imperfectly developed. 



The extent of surface presented by the gills of a 

 fish is very great. Dr. Monro calculated, that the 

 whole gills of a large skate presented a surface equal 

 to 2250 square inches, equal to the whole external 

 surface of the human body. 



The respirations of fishes are from 20 to 30 per 

 minute. 



The tail is the great instrument of swimming, the 

 fins only serving to balance the fish and keep it level. 



The age of a carp has been known to reach 200 

 years, and of a pike to 260 years. 



One cod-fish was found to contain 3,686,760 eggs. 



A flounder 1,357,400 



A herring 36,960 



A sole 100,362 



Gesner would persuade us that many fish sleep, 

 but this does not seem to be the fact, for this race of 

 animals cjm have no ey-brows, nor any membrane to 

 close and cover their eyes with, as other creatures 

 have to whom nature has allowed sleep. 



The Whale. 



The late Mr. Hunter observes, that the cetaceous 

 order of animals has nothing peculiar to fish, except 

 living in the same element ; their internal organiza- 

 tion (lungs, heart, intestines, &c.) entirely resembling 

 those of quadrupeds. They breathe by lungs, not by 

 gills; suckle their young; have no scales, and a hori- 

 zontal tail, the reverse of fishes. 



It is a pure error to suppose that the great 

 northern whale feeds on herrings, being totally inca- 

 pacitated, by the structure of its throat and mouth, 

 from swallowing so large a fish. Its food consists of 



