"Fishes take in so little air by their gill-breathing that it is not enough to warm their blood or their bodies. They are always cold. We call them cold- blooded animals.""Teacher showed us," said Willie, joining in, "that this is why fishes are never clothed in wool, fur, or feathers, or even with a thick hide. They have noheat in their bodies to keep in, and they have no need of a thick warm coat.""That"s right, Will," said Fred. "I wanted to talk about their clothing next. Think of the herring and its shiny silvery-looking coat. But the coat kept coming off on my fingers while I was showing you the herring"s gills, Norah.""What do you mean, Fred?" asked Norah. "Do you mean those little round scales that you had all over your hands? Are they the herring"s coat?""Yes, they are. Teacher says the fish is really encased in a coat of mail. Next time you see a fish, run your finger along its body from head to tail, and you will find it very smooth; then run it back again to the head, and the scales will ruffle up.
