158 



many absurd conjectures, of which the water-quacfo 

 did not fail to take advantage, by publishing various re* 

 cipes for breeding eels from horses' or fioin human, hair - r 

 from blood, from detvy turfs> and a thousand other such 

 ridiculous nostrums ! 



The fact is, that the eel- is of the viviparous class j that 

 is, produces its young alive, without the formation and 

 digestion of spawn : but of this more will be said in its 

 proper place. 



However singular my opinion may be, yet I have fre- 

 quently thought, that fishes at certain periods of their 

 lives moulted, or cast their scales. I have cuu. ht several*, 

 especially dace, wlwch appeared quite sickly, and had 

 few or n scales on them, tlx>ugh there seemed to be new 

 enes issuing from the matrices, or eells, in which the old 

 scales had been iixt.-d. 



This might have proceeded from disease ; but when - 

 we reflect, feat tfee lobster is said to be in the habit of 

 changing its sheM, and that all the serptnt tribe (which 

 approach very closely to fishes in their nature and oste- 

 ology) cast their .-kins every year, perhaps my conjecture 

 nay appear to be in some measure correct. 



I have heard, that the gold and sih-er fishes kept in 

 vases, at stated times change their appearance i such a 

 manner, as contributes to support my opinion. 



If fishes do moult, they are, doubtless, at such times 

 cut of season, and unfit for the table : indeed, we may 

 take it as a pretty general rule, that such kinds of fishes 

 as afford most play when hooked, are firmest in their 

 fiesh 5 and that such of those strong kinds as chance to 

 make but little resistance, are proportionably flabby, and 

 ilatable. 



Besides, 



