1'HE COMMON liKlililNO. 235 



up With this sea-weed, and on gaining an elevated position on land, vast 

 fields are observed still setting in from the ocean. Have we not here 

 again an excellent conveyance for many kinds of fishes, (particularly 

 those unable to take long journeys without assistance) which keeping 

 within the covert of these masses of fucus are carried along hundreds of 

 miles, and obtain, the whole voyage, good shelter and abundance of food, 

 which is all a fish requi-f-es to bring it safe to other positions, where the 

 temperature of the ocean will not interfere with its constitution. And 

 although the constitutions of fish are in some cases influenced by the 

 temperature of the element they inhabit, and a few degrees above or 

 below a certain temperature will drive them to seek other positions, yet, 

 in many cases, they are not so influenced, ami the fact is well authenti- 

 cated that certain species can bear the test of being frozen in solid ice, 

 and on being gradually thawed, will regain their former signs of vitality, 

 while others have been observed swimming about in hot springs at 

 Manila and in Barbary in water, of a temperature of from 172 deg. to 

 185 deg., and a species of Sihirss, according to Humboldt, was observed 

 fey him thrown up alive with the heated waters of a South American 

 volcano, which were proved to be of a temperature of 210 deg., or within 

 two degrees of the boiling point. 



Some marine fish, and certain species of fish-like mammals, appear 

 in some instances to live in fresh water as well as salt. As to the mam- 

 mals, my friend Captain Blakiston, the celebrated explorer of the Yangste, 

 states in his recent work that porpoises Were seen rolling about in the 

 upper waters of that river, 1,000 miles from the sea, and in reply to a 

 question of mine, he states that the water was perfectly fresh far below 

 this point ; so that we have here marine mammals, generally supposed 

 to be unable to exist long in fresh water, disporting themselves hundreds 

 of miles from their briny home, in an element very different in its com- 

 ponent parts from that to which they are usually accustomed. Again, 

 I have myself observed in the Bermudas a species of Gob'ms exist- 

 ing in a lively and healthy state in rock pools above the highest tidal 

 mark, in which the water, chiefly rain, but partially salt, had become 

 perfectly putrid and offensive. 



From five specimens of the common herring (Clupea e'ougata) 

 before me, one taken at Red Bay, Labrador, the second from the 

 " Banks," ten miles seaward ; the third from Halifax harbour ; the 

 fourth from Annapolis Royal,_Bay of Fundy, and the fifth from a cod's 

 stomach, caught upon the Banks, I may say they are identical, except 

 in teeth and size ; they all may be called slender. In size the Labrador 

 measures 15 inches; the Bank, 13^; the Shore, 11; the Annapolis or 

 Digby herring 7 to 8, and that taken from the cod about 5 inches. Not- 

 withstanding the difference in size and in teeth, I can only consider them 

 of one species. 



Those taken on the Banks ten miles seaward are larger, go in separate 

 runs, are fished for with larger meshes, and are sold as distinct fish in 

 the market from the Shore herring. 



