263 



A viscous matter is conducted to the extremity of tlie 

 horns that serve them instead of legs. These legs be- 

 come strong ties to them by means of the glue that ex- 

 sudes from them, and when they are once fastened, it is 

 eabier to break than separate them. The horns of 

 hedgehogs are exactly, of the same nature. 



All these adhesions are voluntary, anc4 depend solely 

 on the good pleasure of the animal. He joins or dis- 

 joins himself as circumstances require. But there are 

 other adhesions, which are altogether involuntary. Sea- 

 worms, that are called pipe worms, are enclosed in a 

 round tube of a substance resembling that of shells, 

 and fastened to stones or hard sand, or even to other 

 shell-fish. This tube follows the turnings of the surface 

 to which it is fixed : the worm never quits this shell, 

 which he lengthens or widens as he grows. They recal 

 to your remembrance the false moths : this may be 

 termed a Jake moth of the sea. It emits from its whole 

 body a stony juice, whichris the matter whereof the 

 tube is formed. 



Other worms of this species, whose juice is not of a 

 stony nature, but glutinous, make use of it for collect- 

 ing round them grains of sand, or bits of shells, and 

 this shell of inlaid pieces is notwithstanding wrought in 

 pretty exact proportion. 



Oysters, and many other shell-fish, adhere by a 

 stony liquor to the bodies whereon they rest, and are 

 often by "this means cemented to one another. Of 

 such a species is that universal cement which nature 

 makes use of, as often as she would erect in the sea, or 

 establish therein a shell-work against the violent mo- 

 tion of the waves. 



We have acquired but little knowledge of the industry 

 of fishes. They are not sufficiently within our reach. 

 The greatest part of them inhabit gulphs that are in- 

 accessible to our researches. We do not presume to 

 think, that all their intelligence is confined solely to 



