263 



the devouring of each other. Their migrations are also 

 as remarkable as those of bird. They may ha\e need 

 of a kind of genius to enable them to chase their 

 prey with success, and elude the pursuit of their 

 enemies. The cuttle-fish scatters about, at a proper 

 season, a black liquor, which troubles the water, and 

 hides her from the sight of such fishes as attempt to 

 take away her life. Perhaps this liquor may be ser- 

 viceable to her in seizing, with the greater ease, those 

 she feeds upon. Other fishes can, with abundance of 

 art, penetrate into very hard shells, and extract from 

 thence the fleshy substance contained in them. We are 

 not yet acquainted with the use the sivord-fish, the saw- 

 fish) and the narval, or unicorn-Jisk, make of those 

 enormous instruments they wear at the end of their 

 snouts; but they are undoubtedly able to handle them. 

 Has not the cramp-fish, which so suddenly benumbs the 

 hand that touches it, a very remarkable method of pro- 

 viding for its safety, and an excellent art to propose to 

 the meditation of the natural philosopher? The jlying- 

 f.sh t when pursured by others, darts out of the watry 

 element to take refuge in the air, where it is for a time 

 sustained by its great fins. 



It is well known that carp are capable of being 

 tamed, and that they will hasten, like fowls, at a 

 certain signal, to receive food from the hands of their 

 provider. 



It is probable that fishes are of all other animals en- 

 dued with the longest lives. We inve seen carp of an 

 hundred and fifty years old. Fishes transpire and 

 harden but little ; they have, properly speaking, no 

 bones : but they live in a state of perpetual warfare : 

 they all devour, or are devoured by others. Those 

 who attain to their age, must acquire an extensive 

 knowledge of things relating to the sea. Such Nestors 

 as these may be able to procure us some good memoirs 

 of the secret history of a people so little known. 



25. We conjecture that the emigrations of birds de 



