OBLONG SUN-FISH. 471 



given is from Mr. Donovan's work, with part of the descrip- 

 tion of Pennant. 



" This fish grows to a great bulk ; that which was ex- 

 amined by Salvianus was above a hundred pounds in weight. 

 In form it resembles a Bream, or some deep fish cut off in 

 the middle. The mouth is very small, and contains two 

 broad teeth, with sharp edges." 



" The eyes are small ; before each is a small semilunar 

 aperture : the pectoral fins very small, and placed behind 

 them. The dorsal fin and the anal fin are high, and situated 

 at the extremity of the body ; the tail fin is narrow, and 

 fills all the abrupt space between those two fins." 



" The colour of the back is dusky, and dappled ; the 

 belly silvery ; between the eyes and the pectoral fins are 

 certain streaks pointing downwards. The skin is free from 

 scales." 



" When boiled it has been observed to turn into a glu- 

 tinous jelly, resembling boiled starch when cold, and served 

 the purposes of glue, on being tried on paper or leather. 

 The flesh of this fish is uncommonly rank : it feeds on shell- 

 fish: 1 



" There seems to be no satisfactory reason for the old 

 English name. Care must be taken not to confound it with 

 the Sun-fish of the Irish,* which differs in all respects from 

 this." 



Dr. Turton describes the body of the Oblong Sun-fish to 

 be nearly thrice as long as it is deep : the aperture of the 

 gills semilunar. The fin-rays in number, according to Mr. 

 Donovan, are 



D. 12 : P. 14 : A. 15 : C. 17. 



* The Sun-fish of the Irish coast, particularly on the west coast of Ireland, 

 is the Basking Shark, to be hereafter described, which sometimes attains a 

 length of thirty feet, and is so called from its habit of basking and sunning itself 

 at the surface of the water. 



