"Straight as above the surface of the flood

They wanton rise, or, urg'd by hunger, leap,

Then fix, with gentle twitch, the barbed hook."-THOMSON.

with each other; and the sword-fish, being among the smaller of the races, is armed with a weapon which makes him as formidable as the larger and more powerful kinds.

1109. The sword-fish living, at least in part, upon the bodies of fishes larger than itself, uses its formidable weapon to lacerate and divide their substance into convenient morsels.

The prolonged snout forms an excellent cut-water when the fish makes its arrowlike darts through the water; and the powerful tail is calculated to drive home the weapon with enormous force.

1110. Why is the "John Dory" so called?

This name evidently arises from a corrupt pronunciation of a French term, designating the colour of the lighter parts of the fish, which is yellow, with metallic reflections, and, therefore, styled jaune dorée, or golden yellow.

1111. Why are some fishes provided with an apparatus resembling a boy's sucker?

Because, by pressing this organ against any surface they are enabled to retain their hold without using teeth or fins; and by this means retain their position in the water at the same time that they catch their food.

1112. The lump-fish fastens itself by an apparatus on the lower part of its body,

while the sucking-fish has a similar provision on his back, by which it attaches itself to the shark, or to whatever is afloat, or the bottom of ships. In the cuttle-fish there is to be seen a modification of the same kind of apparatus, which can be turned by the animal in any direction, either to fix itself or to drag itself from place to place. There is another fish, called the "Harlequin angler." The appearance of this fish is grotesque and singular; the

pectoral fins resemble short arms, and are palmated at their tips. These fins are converted into feet, and the fish has been known to live three days out of water, and walk about like a dog.*

* Bell on the Hand.

"Cold welle streams, nothing dede,

That swormmen full of smale fishes light,

With finnes red, and scales silver bright."-CHAUCER.

Sub-order V.-Lophobranchia.

1113. Why is the fifth sub-order named lophobranchia?

From lophon, a crest, and branchia, gills--meaning crestgilled.

1114. In the lophobranchia the gills are arranged in little tufts, disposed in pairs along the branchial arches. The aperture for the exit of water is very small. The body is elongated in its form, and covered with bony plates. The fins are imperfectly developed. The bones of the face are prolonged, forming a snout. This sub-order includes only a single family, composed of small fishes, of very singular appearance.

1115. Why has the sea-horse a small pouch-like opening upon its abdomen?

In the course of the summer, this curious sac is filled with eggs; and at a later period, when the fry are hatched, they continue for a time to seek shelter within this singular cavity.

1116. Mr. Yarrell describes this curious provision nearly as follows:-"The male differs from the female in the belly, from the vent to the tail fin, being much broader, and in having, for about two-thirds of its length, two soft flaps, which fold together and form a pouch. They breed in summer, the females depositing their roe in the pouches of the males.

1117. Why has the sea-horse* a pointed tail, destitute of the usual fin?

It uses the long tapering tail to support itself by twisting it round the stems of sea-weed and other objects, moving about slowly amongst seaweed, by a series of undulations, feeding upon minute crustacea, worms, mollusca, &c. As the creature cannot pursue its prey, a caudal fin would be of no utility; the tail is therefore converted into a kind of fulcrum, from which the animal strikes its prey.

Hippocampus,

"And over all with scales was arm'd,
Like plated cote of steele, so couched neare
That nought mote perce."-SPENSER.

Sub-order VI.-Plectognatha.

1118. Why is the sixth sub-order termed plectognatha ?

From plecto, to connect, and gnathos, a jaw-signifying that the bones of the upper jaw and palate are connected with those of the cranium.

1119. The head is large, the mouth small, and the gills so covered with skin and muscles that only a small aperture is left for the exit of water employed in respiration. The body is usually short and stout, and covered with a thich rough skin, or sometimes with bony plates.

1120. Why is the trunk-fish covered with a complete suit of bony plates?

These plates furnish to the trunk-fish a coat of armour analogous

to that worn by the armadillo, and doubtless for similar purposes. The body is covered with plates, so as to form a perfect coat of armour, leaving only the tail, fins, mouth, and a small portion of the gill-opening, capable of motion, all of which moveable parts pass through openings of the armadillo-like coat of mail, the joints being protected and rendered flexible by a leathery substance.

ORDER IV.-GANOIDEA.

1121. Why is the fourth order of fishes named ganoidea?

From ganos, splendour, and edios, appearance. Of the remarkable fishes belonging to this order, very few exist at present in our waters. But their fossil remains occur in abundance in almost all the fossiliferous strata of the earth. They are divided into twe sub-orders:

From that clear space, where, in the cheerful ray
Of the warm sun, the scaly people play." "-CRABBE.

Sub-order I.-Holostea.

m

1122. Why is the first sub-order of the ganoidea called holostea?

From olos, the whole, and osteon, a bone, in reference to the fact of their being covered with a suit of scales or bone.

Sub-order II.-Chondrostea.

1123. Why is the second sub-order of ganoidea called chondrostea?

From chondros, a cartilage, and osteon, a bone, signifying the gristly nature of the fish.

ORDER V.-SELACHIA.

1124. Why is the fifth order of fishes called selachia ?

From selachos, a Greek common noun, signifying a gristly, or cartilaginous fish.

The skeleton in the selachia is entirely of a cartilaginous nature. The skull consists of a cartilaginous capsule, composed of a single piece without any indications of suture. The structure of the jaws varies considerably. They are divided into two sub-orders :

Sub-order I.-Holocephala.

1125. Why is the first sub-order of selacia called holocephala? From olos, whole, and cephale, head, meaning that the head is one entire piece or skull.

1126. The holocephala are all oviparous, and their eggs, like those of the sharks and rays, are enclosed in a strong, horny capsule.

Sub-order II.-Plagiostomata.

1127. Why is the second sub-order of selachia called plagiostomata?

From plagios, transverse or oblique, and stoma, mouth, in reference to the oblique form of the mouth, which is always arched, and contains numerous rows of teeth. The mouth is also wide, and

"Increasing still the terrors of these storms,

His jaws horrific arm'd with threefold fate,

Here dwells the direful shark. Lured by the scent

Of steaming crowds, of rank disease, and death."-THOMSON.

placed on the lower surface of the body at some distance from the extremity of the snout.

1129. Why are sharks said to follow in the wake of ships on board which there may be sick people?

Sharks instinctively follow ships, with the object of picking up refuse matters which are constantly being thrown overboard.

The well-known voracity of the shark-the manner in which it seizes upon the body of man alive or dead--gives it an ominous aspect when following in the wake of a ship having a sick crew. And hence has arisen the popular error, that sharks follow ships, waiting for dead bodies to be thrown overboard.

1130. Why have the eggs of sharks and rays long filamentous processes attached to them?

For the purpose of attaching the eggs to sea-weeds, so that they may not be damaged by being beaten on the shores, nor preyed upon by crustaceous animals. Each egg consists of a horny case, filled with a nutritious fluid. The empty cases are frequently found by the sea-side, and are commonly called mermaids' purses.

1131. Why have the rays, and kindred fishes, long tails armed with spines?

These organs, as well as being used for propulsion, are employed as weapons of defence, and from the muscular strength of the fish, are very formidable when seized or terrified; its habit is to twist its long and flexible tail round the object of attack, and, with the serrated spine, tear the surface, lacerating it in an effective manner.