259 



NATURE OF FISHES. 



• GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF THE NATURE AND 

 ORGANIZATION OF FISHES, (a.) 



CHAPTER I. 



General Characters and Essential Natwe of Fishes. 



More than two thirds of the surface of the globe are covered with 

 the waters of the ocean ; (6) considerable portions of our islands and 

 continents are watered by rivers of various magnitudes, or occupied 

 by lakes, ponds, and marshes ; and this empire of the waters which so 

 extensively exceeds the amount of dry land, is far from yielding to 



{J^ (a) We only comply with the very judicious suggestion made to us from high quar- 

 ters, in adding to this translation of the " Regne Animal" the admirable description 

 of the nature and organization of fishes, as given by our immortal author in his 

 great work " Histoire Naturelle des Poissons." We feel it only our duty to place 

 before our readers, the results of anatomical researches, such as no work in the 

 English language could supply. 



(6) This assertion has been proved to be below the truth by actual examination, 

 and as the measurements of the different portions of each element form a curious 

 subject of contemplation, we shall not hesitate to submit them to the public. 



Areas of the Seas of the Earth. 



Square Miles. 

 The Southern, Indian, and Pacific Oceans . . . 126,045,000 



The Atlantic Ocean, and the numerous seas connected with it 33,837,000 



The Caspian, Great Lakes of America, and other smaller col- 

 lections of water ..... 250,000 



Area of water surface on the Earth . . . 160,132,000 



Areas of the Continents, Islands, &c, of the Earth. 



Square Miles. 



Land in Torrid Zone 



Southern Temperate Zone 



Northern ditto 



Polar Circle 



Southern 



13,600,000 

 3,560,000 



17,960,000 



3,520,000 



200,000 



Summary of Land and Water. 38,840,000 



Land . . . 38,840,000 



Water . . . 160,133,000 



S 2 



