RICHTER, Johann Gottfried Ohnefalsch

A general section on the classification and properties of fishes outlines the contents of the book. The morphology of fishes is embellished with a plate of a mermaid, a Chinese goldfish and a bandfish. The second part deals with the use of fish by man. The third part is about God's purpose of fish. A plate of a sperm whale (sperma ceti) is added and suggested as the possible fish species that swallowed Jonah. The so called Tobias fish is identified as a sandeel and depicted in another plate. Fabulous, strange and miraculous fishes are treated in the fourth part. A plate of the Moskowits fish with the face of a man is an example of a strange fish. Another plate gives the details of a snub nose carp. The last plate shows a suck-fish, a fabulous fish, which can attach itself to human beings. Descriptions of European fish species, are given in the last part. Provenance: Small label of a Russian Library on pastedown.