FISHES. REPTILES. X'tf 



transverse sections of trees, by which their ages are computed. 

 In the same manner, the ages of fishes may be ascertained by 

 the number of circles on their scales, reckoning for each ring 

 one year of the animal's existence. The ages of Buffon's 

 carps were chiefly determined by the circles on their scales. 

 The age of fishes that want scales, such as the skate and ray 

 kind, may be pretty exactly known by separating the joints of 

 the back-bone, and observing minutely the number of rings 

 which the surface exhibits. Both of these methods may be 

 liable to deception ; but they are the only natural ones which 

 have hitherto been discovered. The longevity of fishes has 

 been ascribed to several causes. The element in which they 

 live is more uniform, and less subject to accidental changes 

 than the air of our atmosphere. Their bones, which are more 

 of a cartilaginous nature than those of land animals, admit 

 of indefinite extension ; of course their bodies, instead of 

 suffering the rigidity of age at an early period, which is the 

 natural cause of death, continue to grow much longer than 

 those of most land animals. 



As to the age of Reptiles, probably from the uninteresting 

 nature of the animals, we have very little information. But 

 two letters of J. Arscott, Esq. of Tehott in Devonshire, con- 

 cerning the longevity of a toad, deserve some notice. These 

 letters were addressed to Dr. Milles, Dean of Exeter, and by 

 him communicated to Mr. Pennant in the year 1768. " It. 

 would give me the greatest pleasure," says Mr. Arscot*, *' to be 

 able to inform you of any particulars worthy Mr. Pennant's 

 notice, concering the toad who lived so many years with us, 

 and was so great a favorite. It had frequented some steps 

 before the hall door some years before my acquaintance com- 

 menced with it, and had been admired by my father for its 

 size (which was the largest I ever met with), who constantly 

 paid it a visit every evening. I knew it myself above thirty 

 years, and, by constantly feeding it, brought it to be so tame, 

 that it always came to the candle, and looked up, as if ex- 

 pecting to be taken and brought upon the table, where I aJ- 

 ways fed it with insects of all sorts. You may imagine that 

 a toad, generally detested (although one of the most inoffen- 

 sive of all animals), so much taken notice of and befriended, 

 excited the curiosity of all comers to the house, who all de- 

 sired to see it fed ; so that even ladies so far conquered the 

 horrors instilled into them by nurses, as to desire to see it." 

 In the second letter, Mr. Arscott remarks, " I cannot say how 

 long my father had been acquainted with the toad before I 



