Chap. 79.] AETITICIAL 0T8TEE-BEDS. 467 



have a womb ; and those -which by the Greeks are called 

 trochi," it is said, impregnate themselves. -The young of all 

 aquatic animals are without sight at their birth." 



CHAP. 78. (53.) THE lONGEST LIVES KNOWN AMONOSI HSHES. 



"We have lately heard of a remarkable instance of length of 

 life in fish. PausUjrpum" is the name of a villa in Campania, 

 not far fcom Neapolis ; here, as we learn from the works of 

 M. Annseus Seneca, a fish is known to have died sixty years 

 after it had been placed in the preserves of Csesar" by Vedius 

 PoUio ; while others of the same kind, and its equals in age, 

 were living at the time that he wrote. This mention of fish- 

 preserves reminds me that I ought to mention a few more par- 

 ticulars connected with this subject, before we leave the aquatic 

 animals. 



CHAP. 79. (54.) THE FIEST PEKSOIT THAI POEMED ABIIEICIAL 



OrSTER-BEDS. 



The first person who formed artificial oyster-beds was Ser- 



upon as females : and, in fact, lie says, Cavolini diaoovered eggs and a milt 

 in every one that he examined ; so that they appear to have all the appli- 

 ances of self-fecundation. 



'* Or wheel-fish : from the Greek rpoxoe, " a wheel." It is not clearly 

 known what animal he alludes to under this name. Snails, Cuvier says, are 

 hermaphrodites, and so is the helix, bnt stiU they require sexual connection 

 for the purposes of reproduction. The greater part of the marine uni- 

 valves, on the other hand, are of separate sexes ; but the organ of the male 

 being proportionally of great length, and coiled in part beneath its mantle, 

 this fact may Tery possiblyhave given rise to the notion here mentioned 

 by our author, that the animal iihpregnates itself. 



15 This can only be understood, Cuvier says, as applying to those animals 

 the young of which are still enveloped in the membranes of the egg : for 

 in general, the young of fish, from the moment of their birth, have eyes 

 of great beauty, and are remarkable for the quickness of their sight. 



16 From the Greek itavaiXvTrov, "grief-assuaging.'' This was the 

 name of a splendid villa belonging to Vedius Pollio, and which he be- 

 queathed to Augjistus. It was famous for its fist preserves ; and it was 

 here probably that Pollio kept Ms murense, previously mentioned by Pliny 

 as being fed on human fiesh. The vicinity is stiU called Monte Posilipo. 



" "CsBsaris piscinis." This may either mean, preserves which had 

 their name irom Csesar, or preserves which afterwards belonged to Caesar. 

 The work of Seneca, in which this drcumstance was mentioned, is no 

 longer in existence. 



H u 2 



