22 
OF FISHES IN' GENEHAi. 
their appetite is voracious. The cod and fturgeon will 
not only fwallow, but diffolve crabs, mufcles, lobfters* 
and every kind of ftiell fifh, whole coverings are tnuch 
harder than the coats of their ftomachs. On difledion, 
the maw is found to be a foft bag filled with fhells ; the 
calcareous earth of which, undoubtedly, fupplies the 
animal with nourifhment. From this fad it would ap- 
pear, that fifhes are fupplied with a powerful folvent, hi- 
therto undeferibed, which enables them to convert the 
fubftances they fwallotv into a fluid, fitted for their pecu- 
liar fupport. 
Some exceptions to the extraordinary voracity of 
fifties, are produced by naturalifts, which, if fully exa- 
mined, will, perhaps, appear more apparent, than real. 
Some are faia to fubfift on pure water alone ; an after- 
tion, which is fuppofed to be proved by numbeilefs in- 
flances of their fubfifting, for feveral months, in ponds 
eonftruded of hewn ftone, where they had been fupplied 
with no food *, It is alleged too, that tliofe, which are 
carried from a diftance to the markets of London and 
Paris in perforated veflels, mull fubfift upon water 
alone. 
The element of water, however, is feldom found pure 
and unmixed. The very epithets of fait, bitter and 
fweet, imply a compofition and mixture, perceptible even 
to the tafte. The particles of the earth upon which it 
runs, neceflarily enter into it, and vitiate its purity. 
Thefe fubftances, together with myriads of animalcules 
with which it teems, may fupply, for a while, a fcanty 
fubliftence, and fupport the life of the molt voracious 
animals. 
1 8 
Rondelet. apud Will. 
