FISHES DIAGRAM 5 101 



herring, for instance, we must place it in a position which it 

 never takes itself, the dark side to the right, and the pale side 

 to the left. And then we shall see that all the parts except 

 the eyes are in the same position as in the mackerel. The tail 

 is vertical ; the bones directed above and below ; the mouth is 

 horizontal, and the gills and the intestines have their usual 

 position. These fish are therefore animals which live on one 

 side, and swim on one side. They are all very good for food. . 



Ihe Eel . It inhabits the sea, the rivers, and even the smallest 

 ditches ; it will even live in a bucket or a pan. It can 

 be reared thus, and will grow for years, and reach its largest 

 size, or about a yard long. The eel feeds on small fish, worms, 

 and frogs. In the spring time we see large rivers full 

 of prodigious quantities of very small and nearly trans- 

 parent eels, which make their way up the stream to- 

 wards its source. They can then be taken by thousands by 

 merely dipping with buckets. Eels, like several other fish, have 

 no scales on the skin ; this is used to make thongs which are 

 valued for their toughness. A fish is caught in the sea 

 which is very like the eel, the conger eel : it is however much 

 larger and not so long in proportion, it sometimes grows to the 

 thickness of the thigh. 



The Sturgeon. This is a large fish, the body of which is 

 covered with plates of bone as rough as files. Its head is pro- 

 longed in front, and beneath it is a narrow mouth, and it can 

 only feed on small marine animals, in spite of its large size! It 

 lives in the sea, but it breeds in rivers, where they fish for it. Its 

 flesh and eggs are articles of great trade in Eussia. The eggs 



Sturgeon 

 are sold under the name of caviare. Lastly, they make isinglass 



