FISHES IN GENERAL. 287 



sand leagues. Yet it does not always happen that those 

 fish have the most rapid motion which are endowed 

 with the greatest number of fins ;, for the shark, which 

 is allowed to be one of the swiftest swimmers, wants 

 the ventral or belly fin. These fins not only serve the 

 animal in progression, but in rising, sinking, turning, 

 and even leaping out of the stream. The flying-fish 

 frequently rises out of the water, and pursues its course 

 for an hundred yards, until, apparently exhausted by 

 the exertion, it regains its vigour by sinking into the 

 stream. The pectoral fins push the animal forward, 

 and are placed behind the opening of the gills ; the 

 ventral fins grow under the belly ; and the dorsal fin is 

 situated along the back: this also assists the animal in 

 motion, and enables it to keep an equilibrium in the 

 stream : the anal fin grows near the tail, and serves to 

 keep the fish upright, or in a vertical state. The tail 

 is a more powerful assistant than the fins, as they are 

 all in a certain degree dependant upon its aid^ for 

 whenever it wishes to turn, a blow from the tail sends 

 it round, and when it strikes backwards and forwards, 

 it gives addition to its speed. 



As most animals that live upon land are furnished 

 with a covering to defend them from the injurious changes 

 which weather might produce; so that numerous part of 

 creation, which reside within the waters, are protect- 

 ed from their influence by a glutinous kind of matter 

 that defends their bodies like a sheath : beneath this, 

 many of the species have a strong covering of scales, 

 under which is found an oily substance, which at once 

 adds warmth and vigour to its life. 



The fish thus protected and fitted for motion, seems 

 to be furnished with the means of happiness as well as 

 quadruped's or birds'; but, upon a more minute ex- 

 amination of their faculties, we shall find the advan- 



