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Wonderful as it may seem, to see creatures existing in a medium so dense, that men, beasts and birds must inevitably perish in it, yet experience proves that beside those species which we are in the daily habit of seeing, the very depths of the immense ocean contain myriads of animated beings, to whose very form we are almost strangers, and of whose dispositions and manners, we are still more ignorant.

The structure of fish, and their adaptation to the element in which they live, are eminent proofs of divine wisdom. Most of them have the same external form, sharp at each end and swelling in the middle, by which configuration they are enabled to traverse their native element, with greater ease and swiftness. From their shape, men originally took the idea of those vessels, which are intended to sail with the greatest speed.

But the progress of the swiftest sailing ship, with the advantage of a favorable wind, is far inferior to that of a fish. Ten or twelve miles an hour, is no small degree of rapidity in the sailing of a ship; yet any of the larger species of fish would play round her, as if she did not move, and even advance considerably before her.

The fins of fishes are denominated from their situations. The pectoral fins are placed at a little distance behind the opening of the gills, and are large and strong; they serve as well to balance the body, as to assist the motion of the fish. The ventral fins are placed towards the lower parts of the body under the belly, and serve chiefly to raise or lower the fish in the water. The dorsal fins are situated on the ridge of the back, and are very large in flat fish: their use, like the pectoral fins, is to keep the body well balanced, as well as to contribute to its forward motion. The anal fins are placed under the tail, enabling the fish to keep an upright position.

The chief instruments of a fish's motion are the fins, which in some fish are more numerous than in others. The fish in a state of repose, spreads all his fins, and seems to rest upon its pectoral and ventral fins near the bottom. If the fish folds up either of its pectoral fins, it inclines to the same side. When it desires to have a backward motion, striking with the pectoral fins in a contrary direction effectually produces it. If the fish desires to turn, a blow from the tail sends it about, but if the tail strikes both ways the motion is forward.

In pursuance of these observations, if the dorsal and ventral fins be cut off, the fish reels to the right and left, and endeavors to supply its loss by keeping the rest of its fins in constant employment. If the right pectoral fin be cut off, the fish leans to that side; if the ventral fin, on the same side, be cut away, then it loses its equilibrium entirely. When the tail is cut off, the fish loses all motion, and gives itself up to where the water impels it.

The senses of fishes are remarkably imperfect, and indeed, that of sight is the only one which, in general, they may be truly said to possess. But this is, in some degree, compensated by their extraordinary longevity, several species being known to live more than a hundred years.

Such is the general picture of these heedless and hungry creatures; but there are some of this class living in the waters, that are possessed of finer organs and higher sensations; that have all the tenderness of birds or quadrupeds for their young; that nurse them with constant care, and protect them from every injury. Of this class are the cetaceous order, or fishes of the whale kind. But the fierce unmindful tribe, who leave their spawn without any protection, are called the spinous, or bony kinds, from their bones resembling the sharpness of thorns.

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REPTILES.

Ir we emerge from the deep, the first, and most obvious class of amphibious animals that occur upon land, are frogs and toads. Then we find lizards of different kinds, as the crocodile, salamander, &c.

Frogs and toads, wherever they reside, seem equally adapted for living upon land, and in the water. The frog moves by leaping; the toad almost crawls upon the ground. The frog is light and active; the toad, slow and swollen, and incapable of much exertion. The frog is the best swimmer of all four-footed animals; the toad only creeps about in the mud.

The lizards are an awkward, ungainly tribe, differing from every other class of animals. Their color is very various, and very brilliant, and they differ very much in size and form; the crocodile being sometimes thirty feet in length, and the small chameleon, only an inch.

The crocodile is distinguished for its size and fierceness. There are two kinds; the crocodile, and the cayman, or alligator; the one being a native of the western, and the other of the eastern continent. These animals are seen lying on the banks of rivers for whole hours, and even days, so motionless, that one not used to them might mistake them for trunks of trees; but this mistake is often fatal; for the torpid animal at the near approach of any living thing, darts upon it with swiftness, and drags it to the bottom. In this manner it seizes and destroys various animals, and is equally dreaded by all.

The salamander is a heavy torpid animal, very timid and noffensive, and about eleven inches long. It is amphibious, and when taken in the hand is cold to a great degree. There are several other kinds of lizards, all differing from each other, as the iguana, chameleon, green lizard, flying lizard, variegated lizard, &c. Some of these are harmless, while they are to be dreaded for their bite, which makes a severe wound.

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THE accounts left us by the ancients of the terrible devastations of serpents, must not be considered as wholly fabulous. It is probable in early times that serpents, being undisturbed possessors of the forest, grew to an amazing magnitude, and every other tribe of animals fell before them. We are told, that while Regulus led his army along the banks of the river Bagrada, in Africa, an enormous serpent disputed his passage over. We are assured that this serpent measured 120 feet in length.

All serpents have wide mouths, and throats, capable of great distension. The tongue is long and forked. The skin is composed of a number of scales, united to each other, and growing harder till the animal changes its skin, which is done twice a year.

Serpents live to a great age, and some of them grow to an immense size. In Java, one of them readily destroys and devours a buffalo. The poor animal is first seized, and

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