122 FISH HATCHING. 



warm-blooded animal, so its lower jaw is not 

 developed. What is then the most important 

 organ to the young fish ? He has numerous 

 enemies, and it is his first object to get out 

 of their way. The eyes, therefore, are the 

 organs which first arrive at perfection ; and 

 they are indeed perfection in this minute, 

 jelly-like creature. 



The eye is in perfect working order at 

 the moment of birth, though the rest of the 

 body is far from perfection. The lens of the 

 eye is amply developed, as I proved by 

 placing a dead fish in spirit of wine, and ob- 

 serving that the lens turned white instantly 

 it touches the spirit. Thus I was enabled to 

 see, and accurately to judge of, its size and 

 shape. The lining coats of the eye, more- 

 over, are already at birth painted with that 



