VOL. XLII.] PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS. 531 



he saw it pass by to the eastward, at about the distance of a quarter of a mile, 

 and apparent height of 30 feet above the level of the place were he stood. Its 

 colour was that of a burning coal ; its figure a cone, whose length might be 8 

 feet, and diameter at the base 18 inches. From about its apex, which was its 

 hinder part, issued several bright streams sparkling with fiery drops, to the 



length of about 4 or 5 feet, something after this manner ^ ^^^ ^^^^^^)' Its 

 motion was nearly parallel to the plane of the horizon, and its direction about 

 from south-west by south to north-east by north, without any noise, wind, or 

 motion of the earth attending it. The time of its appearance did not happen 

 to be taken notice of with the desired exactness ; but by the best observation we 

 can make, must be about a quarter before 1 o'clock at noon. — ^There were a few 

 others who saw it, to whom it appeared diflferent in shape, according to the 

 point it was seen from ; and perhaps its shape might change as it became nearer 

 consuming, and only its head, in the form of a bell, remain at last. 



j4n Account, by Mr. John Eames, F. R. S. of a Booh intitled, Jacobi Theodori 

 Klein Historirv Piscium Naturalis promovendce Missus primus Gedani, J 740, 

 Ato. Or, The Jirst Number of An Essay towards promoting the Natural 

 History of Fishes. By Mr. Klein, Secretary of Dantzic, and F. R. S. 

 N" 462, p. 17. 



Though the natural history of animals has been much improved, since several 

 of the worthy Members of the Royal Society have taken it under their con- 

 sideration ; yet there still remain some things to be known, in order to render 

 it full and complete. As particularly, concerning the hearing of fishes, it is 

 remarked, that in no fishes beside the cetaceous kind, have hitherto been found 

 any auditory passages, or ear-holes ; and whether all fish hear or not, is a 

 question not yet fully determined, notwithstanding the experiments alleged to 

 prove the affirmative. It is with this view, and in order to set this matter in a 

 clearer light, that the ingenious author has obliged the world with the book before 

 us. It consists of a dedication addressed to this Honourable Society, a preface, 

 an essay, and a double appendix. 



Having considered the auditory organs, with the seat of them, in the ceta- 

 ceous, cartilaginous, and spinose kinds of fishes, it appears, that these lapilli 

 or ossicula differ from each other both in structure and substance ; for in ceta- 

 ceous fishes, whose skeletons are truly bony, and which, in certain respects, 

 may be compared to truly lignous trees, both the os petrosum, and auditory 

 organs, are in these, as in other animals, perfectly osseous or bony : whereas 

 the cartilaginous fish, whose skeletons are elastic and cartilaginous, they may be 

 compared to the keratophyta species of sea plants ; and these fish, instead of 



