AN ESSA Y ON LONGEVITY. 57 



MYRIAPODA— ARACHNIDA.— The large forms are supposed to 

 live longer than Insects, but this idea may be due to the 

 absence of metamorphosis. 



MOLLUSCOIDA.— ? 



MOLLUSCA (Snails and Mussels) are in the same case as large Crus- 

 tacea as to long growth, and absence of observed period of 

 decline. No observations. [The same Limpet might prob- 

 ably be observed for many years.] It is known from the 

 rate of growth of the shell that some Mollusca must live 20 

 years or more. 



FISH. — Great variation in sizes of adults (from 10 to 100 lbs.) of the 

 same species. They are not Imown to get feeble as they 

 grow old, and many are known not to get feebler. 



* Carp^ 1 50 years old, and lively (seen by Buffon in pond of Comte 



de Maurepas). The same fish were seen by Duhamel. 

 ? Pike, 267 years old — if a ring with the following inscription which 

 was attached to it be genuine : — ' I am the fish which was 

 iifst of all put into this lake by the hands of the Governor 

 of the Universe, Frederick the Second, the 5th of October, 

 1230.' It weighed 350 lbs., and was 19 feet long. Its 

 skeleton was exhibited at Manheim. Taken in Suabia, at 

 Halibrun, in 1497. (Gesner, quoted by Yarrell.) 



* 90 years old. (.Pennant, quoted by Yarrell.) 



Murana, 60 years old, in the Roman vivaria. (Pliny, quoted by 



Bacon and Hufeland.) 

 Salmon of spfficient size, according tp their rate of growth, to lead 



one tq infer 100 years as age, are recorded by Yarrell. 



AMPHIBIA. — The fish-like forms may ^gree with fish in tl}eir lon- 

 gevity. The Batrachia appear to have a period of senility 

 and decay. 



* Sieboldia maxima has been in the Zoological Gardens for 10 



years. 

 ? Toad, 36 years. (Smellie, quoted by L. Grindon, loc. cit.) 

 ? Frog, i2-\6 years. (Grindon, /oc. «/.) 



^ Carp were observed by Yarrell to weigh 6 lbs. at 10 years ; th? largest 

 he could ascertain the weight of was 18 lbs. The rate of increase is prob- 

 ably not uniform, diminishing with age, but never ceasing entirely. 



