OF FISHES IN GENERAL. 
I? 
Section III. > 
Of the Refpiration , Food, &c. of Fijhes. 
T 
In all animals, refpiration, or the admiffion of air Into the 
ody, feems neceffary to the fnpport of life. From the 
experiments that have been made upon fillies, almoft in 
t e infancy of fcience, it appears, that they are inca- 
pable of fubfifting without air for any confiderable time. 
ie cetaceous and cartilaginous fifties, are fupplied with 
t e neceffary quantity of this fluid, by means of lungs 
t e a rfl e i ! erreftria] 3nimalS 5 3nd hence ** ^edifh na- 
turahft has arranged them in the fame clafs of beings *. 
in the fpmous fifties, refpiration is performed by branchiae 
or gills, without the cavity of the body } but the pvecife 
manner in wh.ch this operation is carried on, is one of 
e fecrets of Nature, which neither the glaffes nor the 
We of t h e anatomift have ever yet been able to de- 
mined’ f C manDer ’ indeed ’ In which the air is tranf- 
perhans l ° m ^ °* t l uadru Peds into the blood, is 
brancLTfiff as its P a %e ^om the 
This diff ■ i lnt ° the artenes leadin S t0 the heart - 
ham on Ar [ edl c °nfeffes f ; and Rondeletius , Need. 
to explain°it Cr phll ° fophsrs > llavs m vain endeavoured 
Voi. III. n 
L The 
Syftema Nature, laft editioa. 
^ mcdo acr iattet btanchiaa pifciam, difficile eft didt* 
