444 ESOCID;E. 



over it many times in succession. When it has taken the 

 hook, it mounts to the surface, often before the fisherman 

 has felt the bite ; and there, with its slender body half out 

 of water, it struggles with the most violent contortions, to 

 wrench the hook from its jaws. It emits a strong smell when 

 newly taken." The elongated, narrow, beak-like mandibles 

 of this fish make a knowledge of its food a subject of some 

 interest ; but I have found only a thick mucus in the sto- 

 mach, without any remains that I could name. In the 

 works to which I have access, I can find no mention of the 

 nature of its food. Mr. Couch, however, has sent me word 

 recently in reference to its food, that nothing comes amiss to 

 it that has the appearance of life, and is not too large to be 

 swallowed : but it cannot bite a piece out, and is seldom 

 known to swallow an object immediately on seizing it. It is 

 known to hold on to a lask or bait till it drags off a portion, 

 leaving the remainder ragged. 



The usual size of this fish is about twenty-four inches ; 

 the specimen described measured three inches less. The 

 length from the point of the upper jaw to the end of 

 the operculum, compared to the whole length, was as one 

 to four ; the depth of the body compared to the whole 

 length, as one to sixteen : both jaws straight and very much 

 elongated, the under one the most so ; the teeth numerous, 

 minute ; the eye large, placed at the commencement of the 

 last third portion of the head ; the body uniform in depth to 

 the anal fin, then tapering to the tail ; dorsal and anal fin 

 beginning and ending nearly on the same plane, the anterior 

 rays of each of these fins longer than the other rays ; pectoral 

 fins small, immediately behind the free edge of the opercu- 

 lum ; the ventral fins small, situated rather behind the middle 

 of the whole length of the body ; vent immediately in ad- 

 vance of the anal fin ; the tail forked, the external long rays 

 as long again as those of the centre. 



