ICHTHYOLOGY. 5 



Q. For what are fish particularly remarkable ? 



A. For the voraciousness of their appetite and 

 for the strength of their digestive faculties. They 

 live in a state of warfare continually, the stronger 

 preying on the weaker ; and their stomachs will 

 digest even the hardest shells. 



Q. Are fish long-lived I 



A. Yes; some are particularly long-lived; a 

 carp, for instance, has been known to live above 

 a hundred years. 



Q. How may the age of a fish be ascertained ? 



A. The age of a fish may be ascertained by 

 examining one of its scales with a microscope ; 

 it will be found to consist of a number of circles 

 one within another, and each of these circles cor- 

 responds with one year of the fish's life, so that 

 by counting the circles, we may easily ascertain 

 the creature's age. 



Q. Is there any method of ascertaining the age 

 of such as have no scales ? 



A. Yes ; the same knowledge maybe obtained 

 of those destitute of scales, by separating the joints 

 of the backbone, and observing the number of 

 rings on the surface when they were in contact. 



Voraciousness, s. greediness. 

 A 3 



