4 
FISHES. 
preponderates, while in those of fresh-water, it is 
largely, or wholly composed of nitrogen. 
The following fact recorded by Mr. Jesse 
shows that the possession of an air-bladder may, 
under some circumstances, expose fishes to danger. 
On the 9th, 10th, and 11th days of April, 
1837, a friend of mine, then residing at Hastings, 
observed several fish floating on the surface of the 
water, and men and boys wading in, and pulling 
them out, the fish apparently making no effort 
to escape. On inquiry, he found that they were 
all Gurnards, no other fish exhibiting this phe* 
nomenon at that time, although he was informed 
that, a few years before, some Conger Eels were, 
during severe weather, in the same predicament. 
Some of the fishermen attributed the help- 
lessness of the Gurnards to the circumstance of 
their having been blinded by the cold. Others 
said, the fish mistook the flakes of snow, which 
fell on the surface of the sea, for insects; and 
that, by leaping up so constantly and eagerly, 
for the purpose of catching them, they at last 
^ blew themselves meaning, that they so dis- 
tended the air-bladder, that it lost its elasticity, 
or power of contraction, and thus they became 
helpless. On inspecting a fish just caught, the 
eyes were perfect ; but upon opening the abdo- 
men, and removing the air-bladder, the latter 
was found extremely distended. It is probable 
that the Gurnards came into shallow water in 
search of food, and the shallow water being much 
colder than the deep water, the fish became so 
benumbed, that when they had once distended 
the air-bladder to mount to the surface, the 
muscles had not power to compress it, and hence 
