THE SHELL FISH. 



371 



imposed m the animal creation, is shocking to huma- 

 nity, anc a horrid offence against the Creator. 



Leavirg you to reflect on the attributes of the 

 Deity, manifested in the various animals of the wa- 

 tery elenent, I purpose, in my next, to give you a 

 glance it a class of creatures less beautiful it is true>. 

 and by reason of our ignorance, seeming to us less in- 

 terestirg, but which are perhaps of not less intrinsic 

 utility mcl importance in the scale of existence. 



Witl every wish for your health, your prosperity, 

 and you- mental improvement, and with every senti- 

 ment o' esteem, 



I am, dear Sir, 



Your's, &c. 



LETTER LVIIL 



" In shelly armour wrapt, the lobsters seek 

 Sate shelter in some bay, or winding creek; 

 To rocky cliasms the dusky natives cleave, 

 Tenacious hold, nor will the dwelling leave." 



0?PIAX. 



DEAR SIR, 



ALTHOUGH, in describing the inhabitants of the 

 waters, a race of animals presents itself, to which, 

 from the place of their residence, custom has given 

 the appellation of fishes; yet s'.ome naturalists setm to 

 doubt whether they ought ta be included in that class. 

 These are the shell-fish,, which might, perhaps, with 

 propriety, be considered as a distinct order of crea- 

 tures, forming that link in the great chain of being 

 which connects the piscine with the reptile race. 

 They are, in tact, the reptiles of the deep ; never 

 swimming upon its surface, but creeping along the 

 shore?, and lodging at the bottom of the waters. 



TJtiese animals, however, considered as fish, are dis- 

 tinguished into two kinds, the crusta.ceous and the 

 testaceous ; the former, such us the crab and t 

 lobster, have a shell that is not (yilteof a bony s 



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