(D1-F1NNED ABDOMINAL FISHES. $&5 



The clupea, or herring : the body a little oblong ; the 

 head with a small beak ; and the fin covering the gills 

 with eight rays. 



The exocetas, or flying-fish : the body oblong ; th« 

 head almost three-cornered ; and the fin covering the 

 gills with ten rays. 



Thecyprinus, or carp: the body elongated ; the head 

 with a small beak ; and the fin covering the gills with 

 three rays. 



The amia, or boneto : the body round and slender ; 

 the head, body, and breast, without any skin ; and the 

 fin covering the gills with twelve rays. 



The mormyrus : the body oblong 5 the head elon- 

 gated ; and the fin covering the gills with a single ray. 



The utility of this system is easily to be discovered by 

 the assistance it gives the mind in immediately disco- 

 vering to what class each fish belongs. Having given 

 the method by which spinous fishes may be distinguish- 

 ed from each other, it may possibly be expected that I 

 should give a separate account of all ; but as this would 

 be both tedious and unentertaining, I shall merely say 

 that they breathe air and water through their gills ; 

 that they live by rapine, each devouring such animals 

 as its mouth is able to contain ; that they do not pro- 

 pagate their species alive, like the cetaceous tribe ; nor 

 by distinct eggs, as in the cartilaginous ; but by spawn, 

 or peas, as they are generally called, which they pro- 

 duce by hundreds and thousands at a time. 



As the spinous fish partake less of the quadruped, in 

 their formation, than any others, so they cannot bear 

 to live out of their own element for so great a length of 

 time ; and in general, when taken out of the water, they 

 testify their change by panting most violently, and ap- 

 pearing in exquisite pain ; the thin air not furnishing 



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