Fish in general have a slender thin body, flattened at the sides, and always a little pointed at the head, in order that they may swim, and cut their way the better in the water. Their skin is smooth, and covered with a slimy glutinous matter, which like a sheath defends their bodies from the immediate contact of the surrounding fluid, and also contributes to their easy progress through the water. In addition to this, many kinds of fishes have a strong covering of scales, a kind of horny substance formed of nume rous distinct sections, closely fitted over each other, and which, like a coat of mail, serves to defend the animal more powerfully against the pressure of the water, and also to repel the attacks of others of the finny tribes; beneath these scales is an oily substance which supplies to the muscular parts the requisite warmth and vigour.

For the purposes of motion, fishes possess neither arms, legs, nor wings, yet the want of all is supplied by a singular and appropriate apparatus, viz. fins, which in some fishes are much more numerous than others. A fish completely fitted for sailing, is furnished with not less than two pairs; also three single fins, two above, and one below. The pectoral, or breast fins, are placed at some little distance behind the gills, and serve, like oars, to push the animal forward. They also serve to balance the fish's head when it is too large for the body, and preserve it from precipating to the bottom of the water, which its apparently clumsy weight would otherwise incline it to do. Next

there are the ventral or belly fins, placed towards the lower end of the body, under the belly. These always lie flat on the water, and they seem rather designed to assist the animal in rising or sinking at pleasure, than in its progressive motion. The dorsal fin is situated along the ridge on the back, and serves both to preserve the balance, and to assist the motion, of the fish. In many fishes this fin is wanting, but in all flat fishes it is remarkably large, as the breast fins are proportionably small. The anal fin is placed between the vent and the tail, and serves to keep the fish in its upright or vertical situation. The tail, which in some fishes is flat and in others upright, seems to be the grand instrument of motion; the fins are but subservient to it, and give direction to its great impetus, by which the fish darts forward with such velocity. In fishes whose head is large and heavy, the pectoral fins also are large, and placed forward to keep it from oversetting. On the other hand, where the head is small, or drawn out into a long beak, and therefore not too heavy for the tail, the pectoral fins are small, and the ventral fins wholly wanting.

For the purpose of breathing, fishes are furnished with gills behind their head, a comb-like substance, and which bear some resemblance to a ventilator, and indeed answer a somewhat similar purpose. They constantly swallow water through their mouths, and then let it out at their gills, which is to them the act of breathing.

One of the organs most necessary to fish in swimming is the air-bladder, by means of which they make their body more or less heavy. If the bladder be pricked with a pin, which has sometimes been done by way of experiment, the fish sinks to the bottom, and can no more rise to the surface.

Fish are evidently designed to see only at a very small distance, and indeed so comparatively dense is the element which they inhabit, that unless their eyes were so constructed as to collect the rays of light in a degree not common to other animals, they could see nothing at all. Accordingly we find their eyes are almost perfectly round. Fish have no eyelids ; but to defend the eye, it is covered with the same transparent skin that spreads over the rest of the head. They cannot draw in the eyes, as some animals do; but the globe of the eye is more depressed anteriorly, and is furnished behind with a muscle, which serves to lengthen or flatten it as occasion requires : thus is one thing set over against another. It remains to observe, that a ceaseless desire of food seems to give the ruling impulse to all their motions. This appe tite impels them to encounter every danger, and indeed their rapacity seems insatiable. Even when taken out of the water, and almost expiring, they greedily swallow the very bait by which they were allured to destruction.

The digestive power of fishes, although the maw is possessed of no sensible heat, is truly astonishing, both as to the quantity and nature of the substance

it is capable of assimilating. A single pike has been ascertained to have devoured a hundred roaches in three days, and the cod and sturgeon will not only devour but dissolve down prawns, crabs, and lobsters, shells and all. Whatever, possessed of life, a fish can swallow, seems to be considered by it as the most desirable food. Some, whose mouths are small, feed upon worms, and the spawn of other fish; others, with large mouths, seek larger prey, no matter whether of another kind or their own, and often they meet each other with the fiercest opposition, whent he fish with the largest swallow comes off with the victory, and devours its antagonist.

It is remarkable, however, that though fish are thus voracious and prowling, no animals can so well endure the want of food. The gold and silver fishes kept in vases, seem to want no nourishment at all; whether it be that they live on animalculæ too small for our observation; or that water alone affords a sufficient supply, is not evident, but they are often for months together without other apparent sustenance. Even the pike, the most voracious of fishes, will live and thrive in a pond where there is none but himself.

It is also worthy of observation, that these creatures, though inferior to most others in the extent of their capacities and enjoyments, exceed them in the duration of their existence. They live to an indefinite period, and continue to grow in size and vigour through the whole of their existence. So that it has been said by one of the greatest philosophers:

"Perhaps a man's life would not be long enough to measure that of the smallest fish, provided he were secure against premature destruction."

Among the principal references of scripture to fish in general, are the following: 1. As the creatures of God, as placed under the dominion of man, and rendered subservient to his advantage: Gen i. 20, 21, 28. and ix. 2. Psalm viii. 8. How remarkably is this grant, confirmed to man even in his lapsed state! how strikingly is the power of man seen in contriving means to overtake the swiftest, and beguile the most wary, and conquer the most formidable, of the finny tribes, and render them tributary to his support and convenience!

2. The fishes are spoken of as sharing the dreadful calamities of Egypt, inflicted on that wicked nation for their cruel oppression of the people of Israel: when the rivers were turned into blood, the fish died also. Exod. vii. 18,-21. Fish was a principal part of the food of Egypt, being in that country very abundant and delicious, and much more highly esteemed than the flesh of beasts. The priests, however, abstained from fish of all sorts, under pretence of peculiar sanctity. Hence we infer how distressing was the infliction which turned their rivers into blood, and occasioned the death of the fish. Thus their sacred stream became so polluted as to be unfit for drink, for bathing, and for other uses of water to which they were so superstitiously devoted; and that became Lord Bacon.