25 



corpse in its belly. The number of teeth increases with 

 its age ; they often exceed one hundred, which they 

 have the power of erecting or depressing at pleasure : 

 when about to seize its prey all this dreadful apparatus 

 is raised, and the animal dies pierced with a hundred 

 wounds in a moment : their eyes are capable of seeing 

 before and behind ; they swim so fast as to outstrip the 

 swiftest ships. They are the dread of sailors in hot 

 climates, and swim round the ships ready to devour any 

 who may fall overboard. They are of various kinds. 



The Saw Fish, which are thus named from a long 

 spike, armed with bony spines, by which they are enabled 

 to attack large animals ; one of these spikes may be seen 

 between the windows. 



The Ray is a singular fish, and their kinds are Skate, 

 Torpedo, Thornback, Fireflare, &c, some kinds of which 

 are dangerous to handle. But the species of this tribe re- 

 semble each other su closely that the stranger who thinks 

 he is handling a Skate, may of a sudden be struck numb 

 by a Torpedo ; and another may suppose he has caught 

 a Thornback, till he is stung by a Fireflare : the latter 

 which is also called the Sting Ray is armed at the end 

 of its tail with a spine five inches long, its side thin and 

 sharp pointed, closely and sharply bearded. 



The Lampreys are singular from their sucking power ; 

 they leave the ocean and deposit their spawn at the bot- 

 tom of fresh water rivers ; where they make holes, and 

 remove large stones by sticking to them, and throwing 

 them out: they remain until a general birth takes place, 

 and then return with the whole family in triumph to the 

 ocean. In 



Cases 9 to 23 are Fish preserved in spirits. 



The Table Cases contain a continuation of Radiated 

 Animals. 



On the walls round the room are hung the Horns of 

 various Animals ; with the names of the animals to which 

 they belong attached to each. 



Twelfth Room. 

 Here are arranged a collection of British Birds, Shells, 

 and Eggs. 



