346 He Wisdom of GOD Part II. 



Fifties raife and link phemfclves in the Water, and 

 reft and abide in what Depth they pleafe, is not 

 yet certainly known, yet I fliall propound a Con- 

 jefture concerning it, which was firft fuggefted to 

 me by Mr. Peter Dent, late Phyfician in Cam- 

 bridge^ viz. that it is by the help of Water which 

 they take in and let out by two Holes in the low- 

 er Part of their Abdomen or Belly, near the Vent, 

 or not far off it ; the Fleih of this Sort of Fifti 

 being lax and fpongy, and nothing fo firm, folid 

 and weighty as that of the honey Filhes, and there 

 being a good Quantity of Air contain'd in the 

 Cavity of their Abdomen, they cannot fink in the 

 Water without letting in fome of it by thefe Holes 

 (the Orifices whereof are opened and fliut at plea- 

 fure by the help of Mufcles provided for that 

 purpofe) into the hollow of their Bellies, whereby 

 they preponderate the Water, and defcend j and 

 when they would afcend, by a Compreflion 

 wrought by the Mufcles of the Abdomen, they 

 force out the Water again, or at leaft fo much of 

 it as may fuffice to give that degree of Levity 

 they need or defire ; if it be found by Experience 

 that the Bodies of thefe Fifties without this Bal- 

 laft would naturally float in the Water, and that 

 they do really admit Water into their Bellies, then 

 this Conjedure may have fome Probability or 

 Truth in it, otherwife not. 



Upon the Contemplation and Confideration of 

 thofe various Ways and Contrivances which Na- 

 ture (I mean the divine Wifdom) hath made ufe 



of 



