HISTORY OF FISH. 



to thefe they are impelled rather by necefiity than 

 choice, and feem mechanically excited to every 

 fruition. Their fenfes are incapable of making any 

 diftinctions ; but they drive forward in purfuit of 

 whatever they can fwallow, conquer, or enjoy. 



A cealelefs defire of food feems to give the ruling 

 impulfe to all their motions. This appetite impels 

 them to encounter every danger ; and indeed their 

 rapacity feems infatiable. Even when taken out of 

 the water, and almoft expiring, they greedily fwal- 

 low the very bait by which they were allured to de- 

 ftruction. Some that have very fmall mouths feed 

 upon worms, and the fpawn of other fifh. : others, 

 whofe mouths are larger, feek larger prey - 3 it mat- 

 ters not of what kind, whether of another or their 

 own. Thofe with the largeft mouths purfue almoil 

 every thing that hath life ; and often meet each 

 other in fierce opppfition, when the fifh with the 

 largeft fwallow comes off with the victory, and de- 

 vours its antagonift. 



Thus are they irritated by the continual defire of 

 fatisfying their hunger; and the life of a fifh, from 

 the fmalleft to the greateft, is but one fcene of hof-' 

 tility, violence, and evafion. But the fmaller fry 

 ftand no chance in the unequal combat -, and their 

 ufual way of efcaping, is by fwimming into thofe 

 ihallows where the greater are unable, or too heavy 

 to purfue. There they become invaders in turn, 

 and live upon the fpawn of larger fifh, which they 

 find floating on or near the furface of the water 5 

 yet there are dangers attending them in every place. 

 Even- in the Ihallows, the mufcle, the oyfter, and 

 the fcallop, lie in ambufh at the bottom, with their 

 fhells open, and whatever little fifh inadvertently 

 approaches into contact, they at once clofe their 

 fhells upon him, and devour the imprifoned prey 

 at their leifure. 



Nor is the purfuit of fifties, like that.of terreftial, 

 animals, confined to a, fingle region, or to one 



effort ; 



