CANTO i. PRODUCTION OF LIFE. S3 



Allied to fish, the lizard cleaves the flood 



With one-cell'd heart, and dark frigescent blood; 



Half-reasoning Beavers long-unbreathing dart 



Through Erie's waves with perforated heart; 



With gills and lungs respiring Lampreys steer, 



Kiss the rude rocks, and suck till they adhere; 



The lazy Remora's inhaling lips, 



Hung on the keel, retard the struggling ships; 360 



With gills pulmonic breathes the enormous Whale, 



And spouts aquatic columns to the gale; 



Sports on the shining wave at noontide hours, 



And shifting rainbows crest the rising showers. 



" So erst, ere rose the science to record 

 In letter'd syllables the volant word; 



At noontide hours, 1. 363. The rainbows in our latitude are only 

 seen in the mornings or evenings, when the sun is not much more 

 than forty-two degrees high. In the more northern latitudes, where 

 the meridian sun is not more than forty-two degrees high, they are 

 also visible at noon. 



