OF FISHES IN GENERAL^ 
fb°d. ^ But the experiments made by Mr. Gorian *, 
l Oteiici of medicine at Montpelier , clearly demonftrate 
the fallacy of tbefe proofs. The gold fifties, which be 
' c pt in vafes, he could never difturb by the loudeft noife, 
provided he could prevent the tremor of the air from 
a Sealing the water. It appears, therefore, that fishes 
are as defiitute of hearing as of voice; and that, when 
*-hey appear to come to their food at the call of a bell or 
Whlft le, it is either by feeling the vibrations of the found 
affect the water, or by feeing the perfons approach by 
t^iom they are accuftomed to be fed f. 
f be itght of filhes is probably the mod perfect of all 
their fenfes, and yet it is far inferior to that of 
nroft other animals. They have, properly fpeaking, no 
eye-lids : Their fight is proteded in the water by a 
nictating membrane, which is a continuation of the fame 
tranfparent fkin that covers the reft of the head. The 
cryftalline humour, which in molt other animals is flat, 
is in them convex, and round like a ball %. In confe- 
quence of to is, thefe animals muft be near-fighted, even 
ln water » which, like a concave glafs, correds, in fome 
degree, this defed of the organ of vifion. We have no 
evidence of any fifties feeing at a confiderable diftance ; and 
t e cafe with many of them, that are deceived by the 
! erent klnds of bait prepared in imitation of their food, 
gives room to fufped, that objeds are not very diftindlv 
Perceived by them, even when near. 
it Fl 'T thlS fn ° rt account of the external fenfes of fifties, 
fall > PP ear > rhat their faculties, in point of perfedion, 
8 “ y below thofe of the other tribes, which have al- 
ready 
* Hiftoria Pif c . , . . 
i r»ur . , , T Aiinnsei Syttema Naturae. 
t poldfmith * Na ti Hift. vol . vi> 
