4 OF FISHES IN GENERAZ,. 



ber, that have not come into the poffeflion of the curi- 

 ous. 



It is remarkable, that there is no fyftem of ichthyology 

 in the Knglifly language. Goldfmith'' s plan did not adr 

 mit of any thing more, than a general flcetch of this fub- 

 je£t. Accordingly, he has not defcribed, perhaps, a 

 twentieth part of thofe, that are already found in the 

 fyftems of Artcdi or Linriceus. Fennant has, indeed, 

 given a corre£l: and elegant hiilory of the Britijh ii flies ; 

 but thefe make only a fmall part of the inhabitants of 

 the ocean. We dare not promife, in the narrow limits 

 of the following work, to offer a complete fyftem to the 

 public. All the genera, however, are included, and a 

 few of the moft remarkable fpecies belonging to each, 

 are felefled for a particular defcription. 



By the labours, however, of the different philofophers 

 already mentioned, nearly five hundred kinds of fifties 

 have been enumerated, and defcribed ; and, in appearance 

 at leaft, confiderable progrefs has been made in explain* 

 ing their hiftory : But, unfortunately, the names and ex- 

 ternal figure of many of thefe are all that we know. 

 Their food, migrations, manner of life, and every qua- 

 lity that can render their hiftory interefting, ftill remair^ 

 to be explored. While, therefore, we are guided prin- 

 cipally by the arrangement of Linncciis^ in giving thq 

 following account of fifties, we 'will fpare our readers 

 the trouble of perufing the tedious catalogue, as often as 

 it prefents nothing, but the dry detail of names. We 

 Ihall thus fecure ourfelves an opportunity of enlarging 

 more fully upon thofe particular fifties, whofe hiftory 

 may appear moft authentic, curious, or ufeful. 



Ariftotle, that great father of naturalifts, firft fuggeft-* 

 ed the excellent arrangement Q/. fifaes, into the cetaceous^ 



cartilaginoitSi 



