158 



many absurd conjectures, of which 1 the 

 did not fail to take advantage, by publishing various re- 

 cipes for breeding eels from horses' or iroai human, hair j 

 from blood, from dewy turfs, and a -thousand other such- 

 ridiculous nostrums ! 



The fact is, that the eel is of the viviparous class j that 

 is, produces its- young alive,, without the fc rmation and 1 , 

 digestion ofspauw: but of this more will be said in its 

 proper pfcu?e. 



However singular my .opinion may be, yet I have fre- 

 quently thought, that fishes at certain periods of their 

 lives moulted, or cast their scales. I have caught several> 

 '.specially dace,, which appeared, quite sickly, and had 

 few orno scales- on them, though there seemed to be new 

 ones issuing from the matrices f or -cells-, in which the old 

 scales had been fixed. 



This might hw proceeded from disease j- but when* 

 we reflect, that the lobster is said to be in the habit of 

 rhangmg its shell, and that all- the serpt nt tribe (which 

 approach very closely to fishes in their nature and oste- 

 ology) east their skins every year, perhaj s my conjecture 

 may appear to be in some measure correct. 



I have heard, that the gold and silver fishes kept in 

 vases, at stated times change their appearance in suclr-a 

 manner, as contributes to support my opinion. 



If fishes do -wow//, they are, doubtless, at such times 

 out of season, and unfit for the table: indeed,, we may 

 take it as a pretty general rule, that such kinds of fishes 

 as afford most play when hcoked, are firmest in their 

 flesh j and that such of those strong kinds as chance to 

 make but little resistance, are proportionably flabby, and 

 unpalatable. 



Besides, 



