222 Animals. 



^ges, of upwards a thousand leagues is 

 one season. 



Fish are also furnished with a slimy 

 glutinous matter, which overspreads the 

 whole body, and defends them from the 

 corosslve quality of the water. Beneath 

 this matter, some have a strong covering 

 of scaks, which, like a coat of armour, 

 protects the body from injuries. Be- 

 neath which, again, there is an oily sub- 

 stance, which supplies the animal with 

 the necessary warmth and vigour. 



Fishes possess most of the senses in 

 an inferior degree to land animals. 

 Their sense oi smelling, (though furnish- 

 ed with nostrils) is less perfect, than in 

 the other parts of animated nature, 

 as must be evident from the nature of the 

 fluid they inhabit ; this sense in them 

 can only act, from the action of the fluid, 

 tinctured with the odour of the object^ 

 upon the olfactory nerves within, in the 

 same manner as the palates of other an- 

 imals discover tastes. Their sense of 

 taste must also be very imperfect ; their 

 palate being of a hard bony nature ; 

 whereas, in quadrupeds who possess 

 this sense in an exquisite degree, this 



