:
Aristotle - On The Parts Of Animals
Atec Февраль 16 2008 20:01:06
Книга только для ознакомления
.
Such then are the characters which distinguish fishes from all other
animals. But dolphins and whales and all such Cetacea are without
gills; and, having a lung, are provided with a blow-hole; for this
serves them to discharge the sea-water which has been taken into the
mouth. For, feeding as they do in the water, they cannot but let
this fluid enter into their mouth, and, having let it in, they must of
necessity let it out again. The use of gills, however, as has been
explained in the treatise on Respiration, is limited to such animals
as do not breathe; for no animal can possibly possess gills and at the
same time be a respiratory animal. In order, therefore, that these
Cetacea may discharge the water, they are provided with a blow-hole.
This is placed in front of the brain; for otherwise it would have
cut off the brain from the spine. The reason for these animals
having a lung and breathing, is that animals of large size require
an excess of heat, to facilitate their motion. A lung, therefore, is
placed within their body, and is fully supplied with blood-heat. These
creatures are after a fashion land and water animals in one. For so
far as they are inhalers of air they resemble land-animals, while they
resemble water-animals in having no feet and in deriving their food
from the sea. So also seals lie halfway between land and water
animals, and bats half-way between animals that live on the ground and
animals that fly; and so belong to both kinds or to neither
: