21 OF FISHES IN GENERAJfy. 



their appetite Is voracious. The cod and flurgeon wtii 

 not only fwallow, but diffolve crabs, mufcles, lobfters; 

 and every kind of fhell filh, whofe coverings are much 

 harder than the coats of their ftoniachs. On dlffection, 

 the maw is found to be a foft bag filled with ihells ; the 

 calcareous earth of which, undoubtedly, fupplies the 

 animal with nourifhmcnt. From this fadl it would ap- 

 pear, that fifties are fupplied with a powerful folvent, hi- 

 therto undefcribed, which enables them to convert the 

 fubftances they fwallow into a fluid, fitted for their pecu- 

 liar fupport. 



Some exceptions to the extraordinary voracity of 

 fifhes, are produced by naturalifts, which, if fully exa- 

 mined, will, perhaps, appear more apparent, than real. 

 Some are faid to fubfift on pure water alone ; an affer- 

 tion, which is fuppofed to be proved by numberlefs in- 

 ilances of their fubfifting, for feveral months, in ponds 

 con{lru6led of hewn flone, where they had been fupplied 

 with no food *. It is alleged too, that thofe, which are 

 carried from a diflance to the markets of Lo7ido?i and 

 Paris in perforated veflels, mull fubfill upon water 

 alone. 



The element of water, however, is feldom found pure 

 and unmixed. The very epithets of fait, bitter and 

 fwect, imply a compofition and mixture, perceptible even 

 to the talle. The particles of the earth upon which it 

 runs, necelTarily enter into it, and vitiate its purity. 

 Thefc fubflances, together with myriads of animalcules 

 with which it teems, may fupply, for a while, a fcanty 

 fubfiftence, and fupport the life of the mofl voracious 

 animals. 



* Rondelet. apiid WiU, 



