[ *53 ] 
jeds, through a groflcr or finer Medium-: the Form 
of their Eyes altering, as the Occailon requires, to 
make them diftinguifh Objects j and their Eyes have 
fo great a Liberty in the Orbits, that they are able to 
turn them any Way, upwards, downwards, to one 
Side or the other, nearly a Quarter of a Circle, 
which makes them full amends for the want of Mo- 
tion in their Necks, and enables them to change or 
hired their Optical Axis to any deftgned Place in 
a Moment. 
Thofe who have been accuftomed to FJy-Fifhing 
can bear Witnefs, that the Sight of Filhes is quick 
and diftind almoft beyond Belief : For it is not un- 
common to behold a Fifh dart itfelf 20 or 30 Yards 
in an Inftant at a Fly thrown out at the End of a 
long Line, and catch it even before it can well 
touch the Water. Few other Creatures are perhaps 
capable to diftinguifh Objeds fo fnyill at fo great a 
Diftance, at lead not fo perfedly as thefe do 5 for, 
let the artificial Fly differ in Colour, Shape, or Big- 
nefs but very little from the natural one it fhould 
reprefent, and not a Fifh will meddle with it. 
Thefe Inftanccs of the exquifite Feeling and See- 
ing of Fifhes, together with their Want of Organs 
that can be certainly known .to ferve them for 
Hear mg, as well as of fufficient Fads to prove that 
they do hear, may, I think, amount to the higheft 
Probability, that they are really defiirute of that 
Senfe *, and hand in no need thereof, notwith- 
standing 
* ’Tis not hereby denied, that Fifhes of the cetaceous Kind 
may probably hear, as well as fome other Kinds produced in the 
Sea, that have Parts in Common with Land Animals. Thefe Ob- 
fervations are confined to the common Fifh of our Rivers. 
