124 V E KIEL! RATES : FISHES. 



young of a kind of Salamander. It usually does not 

 complete its transformations, but remains permanently 

 in the water, breathing by gills. 



FISHES. 



Fishes are Vertebrates \\hich have cold blood, live 

 wholl}^ in the «'ater, and breathe by means of gills. 

 Most of them are scaly, but some are covered with a 

 smooth skin, others have spines, and others still are 

 covered \\'ith bony plateg. The jaws are generally 

 armed with teeth, and, in many cases, all parts of the 

 mouth also, and even the gullet. Their movements 

 are usually rapid, and their forward motion is mainly 

 produced by the movements of the tail. The parts 

 which correspond to the arms and legs of Quadrupeds 

 are very short, and are called fins ; and their use is 

 mainl)- to balance and direct. The flesh is light-col- 

 ored or white. In general, the eye of Fishes has little 

 motion, and the pupil is always of the same size, both 

 in light and darkness ; the ear is wholly inclosed 

 by the bones of the head. They are very voracious, 

 feeding mainly upon smaller fishes, and other small 

 animals, which they usually swallow A\'hole. Those 

 which feed on shellfish crush their food by means of 

 the teeth in the gullet. Most Fishes lay eggs; a few 

 kinds bring forth li\-ing young. Nearly all seem to 

 have no care for their young, but eat them greedily. 

 The number of eggs from a single fish in one season is 

 often very great ; the Salmon sometimes lays twenty 

 thousand, the Cod more than nine million. The 

 colors of Fishes are very beautiful, exhibiting metallic 

 lusters, the brilliancy of precious stones, and the 



