72 ANGLING. 



culty is no doubt greatly deadened over the general 

 surface, by the coating of scales, and in the more 

 special members, by the inflexibility of the rays. 

 It is chiefly confined to the lips, and even those 

 parts in many species are themselves as hard and 

 insensible as bone. Certain soft and delicate ap- 

 pendages, called barbies, possessed by many species, 

 such as the cod and loach, are supposed to enjoy a 

 more delicate perception of the sense of touch. The 

 gurnards are provided with delicate detached rays 

 at the root of the pectoral fins, which may be com- 

 pared to fingers probably serving a somewhat 

 similar purpose, and making amends for their bony 

 lips. Mr. Yarrell regards it as a rule without ex- 

 ception, that all fishes furnished with barbies or 

 cirri about the mouth, obtain their food near the 

 ground ; and there seems indeed to be a beautiful 

 accordance between the functions of these feelers, 

 as they have been called, and that deficiency of 

 light which must ever prevail beneath a heaving 

 mass of " waters dark and deep.* The scales of 

 fishes, which thus at once protect and deaden their 

 feelings, are in the majority imbricated, that is, 

 placed partially over each other, after the manner 

 of slates or tiles. They are, however, neither 

 equally distributed, nor of the same form or con- 

 sistence over the general surface of the body. The 

 head is frequently destitute of scales, and those 

 which form what is called the lateral line of the 

 body, are distinguished from the others by one or 

 more small tubular perforations. All these scales 

 are attached to the skin by their anterior edge, and 



