148 BOOK OP NATURE LAID OPEX. 



without so much as shattering the boat, or drawing 

 the nails of the boards. 



The Cod, the Haddock, the Whiting, and others, 

 whose principal element is in the middle region of 

 the ocean, have an air-bladder to raise and depress 

 them at pleasure; while the Scate, the Thornback, 

 and others, that grovel mostly at the bottom, are des- 

 titute of this wonderful instrument. The Nar-whale, 

 being a harmless and peaceable animal, may proba- 

 bly make use of the horn, which rises from its brow, 

 for the purpose of breaking the ice, or disengaging 

 the plants, on which it feeds, from the bottom of the 

 sea. The Sword fish will not fail to attack even the 

 Whale himself; and with what a fearful and danger- 

 ous weapon is he armed for the purpose! Of all the 

 inhabitants of the deep, the Shark is the fiercest and 

 most voracious, and in celerity of movement sur- 

 passes most, if not all, of the finny race ; but, to coun- 

 terbalance powers, and an appetite for destruction, 

 that might thin the ocean, there is a strange singu- 

 larity in the projecting of his upper over his under 

 jaw, so that he is obliged to turn in order to take hold 

 of his prey, and while he is doing so his victim often 

 makes its escape. Crabs, Lobsters, Whilks, Mus- 

 cles, and other shell fish, are the food of the Wolf- 

 fish; and for the purpose of effecting the destruction 

 of such well-defended prey, this animal is provided 

 with teeth remarkable for their strength. The Fly- 

 ing-fish has many enemies in both elements, but it 

 is provided with instruments by which it can betake 

 itself either to the water or the air, as occasion may 



