136 History of Nature. [BooK IX. 



CHAPTER XIX. 

 Of the Exoccstus. 1 



ARCADIA makes a Wonder of its Exocoetus; so called 

 because it leaveth the Water to sleep on dry Land. This 

 Fish is reported about the Clitorius to have a Voice, and 

 is without Gills. By some it is named Adonis. Also those 

 Creatures which are called Mures Marini 2 and Polypes and 

 Muraense leave the Water for the Land. Moreover, in the 

 Rivers of India there is a certain kind of Fish that doth so, 

 but it presently leapeth back again. For there is an evident 

 Reason why many Fishes pass into Rivers and Lakes ; it is 

 that they may with more Safety produce their Young where 

 the Water is not so rough, and there are no Enemies to 

 devour them. That these Creatures should have the Under- 

 standing thus to know the Causes, and observe the Changes 

 of Times, is the more wonderful, if we would only consider 

 how few Men there are aware that the best Season for fishing 

 is while the Sun passeth through the Sign Pisces. 



CHAPTER XX. 



An Arrangement of Fishes according to the Shape of their 



Bodies. 



OF Sea- Fishes some are flat, as Rhoinbi, Soleae, and 

 Passeres ; 3 and the latter differ from the Rhombi only in the 

 Position of their Bodies. In the Rhombus the right Side 

 turneth upward, and in the Passer the left. Others are long, 

 as the Muraena and Conger. On this Account they have 

 Distinctions formed by their Fins, which Nature hath given 



1 Blennius cristatus, LINN.: but the same habit is common to the 

 B. pholis, or Shanny. Wern. Club. 



2 Mures marini, or Sea-Mice ; some copies read MyrL The Mus of 

 Aristotle is a freshwater Turtle ; and probably these Mures marini are 

 some small sea Turtles. Wern. Club. 



3 Platessa flesus, Cuv. Pleuronectes F. of Linn., but including also 

 the Plaice. Wern. Club. 



