OF FISH IN GENERAL. 29 



Voracity Fruitfulness. 



placed next the mouth ; and, though possessed 

 of no sensible heat, is endued vviih a very sur- 

 prising faculty of digestion. Its digestive power 

 seems, in some measure, to increase in. proportion 

 to the quantity ,of food with which the fish is 

 supplied. A single pike has heen known to de- 

 vour a hundred roaches in three days. Whatever 

 is possessed of life seems the most desirahle prey 

 for fish; some, which have but very small mouths, 

 feed upon worms, and the spawn of other fish ; 

 others, whose mouths are larger, seek large 'prey, 

 it matters not of what kind, whether of their own 

 species, or any other. Those with the largest 

 mouth pursue almost every thing that hath life; 

 and often meeting each other in fierce opposi- 

 tion, the fish with the largest swallow comes off 

 victorious, and devours its antagonist. As a 

 counterbalance to this great voracity, however, 

 fish are incredibly prolific. Some bring forth 

 their young alive, others produce only eggs : the 

 former are rather the least fruitful; yet even 

 those produce in great abundance. The vivipa- 

 rous blenny, for instance, brings forth two or 

 three hundred at a time. Those which produce 

 eggs, which they are obliged to leave to chance, 

 either on the bottom where the water is shallow, 

 or floating on the surface where it is deeper, are 

 all much more prolific, and seem to proportion 

 their stock to the danger there is of consump- 

 tion. Lewenhoeck declares, that the cod spawns 

 above nine millions in a season. The flounder 



