144 BOARFISH. 



forming a nearly equilateral triangle with the base above. The 

 rim of the lower jaw is attached loosely to the anterior side 

 of the triangle, and when the mouth is closed the whole of 

 this mechanism resembles a mystache. It is not easy to imagine 

 a more skilfully-constructed contrivance than this of the 

 Boarfish's mouth for sudden motion in the capture of the very 

 small but nimble creatures on which it feeds. The teeth are 

 small. Scales numerous, large, finely serrated and ciliated, so 

 that the surface of the body has a beautiful silky appearance, 

 over which if the hand be passed backward it feels smooth, 

 but rough in the reverse. The lateral line is not well marked, 

 but is plainly apparent through the first third of its length, 

 and may be traced throughout. It rises about the fourth of 

 an inch behind the eye, arches upward near the dorsal fin, 

 and afterwards is bent down. Origin of the dorsal, ventral, 

 and pectoral fins nearly in a straight line, that of the latter 

 being rather in advance. First ray of the first dorsal very 

 stout, very short, and almost unconnected with the others; 

 second ray five times as long as the first, and curved backward, 

 as are all the others; the third is the longest, after which the 

 remainder become shorter. All these rays stout, and, with 

 the exception of the first three, are stoutest in the middle; 

 they are longitudinally striated, and the first three are more 

 elevated at their root than the others; no scales at their base. 

 The second dorsal is soft and placed on a ridge. In the 

 abdominal fin the membrane does not extend to the end of 

 the soft rays. In none of these specimens were the first rays 

 of the dorsal fin serrated, but the first ray of the ventral was 

 strongly so. The tail straight. Colour of the eye, when 

 recent, bright yellow and silvery white; of the body fine 

 crimson, delicately bright, faded into yellow, and from thence 

 to a silvery white as it approached the belly. In none of 

 them were there lateral bands, as are sometimes described, and 

 as was the case with an example at Falmouth. In the specimen 

 obtained at Polperro the rays of the ventral fins were purple 

 at their points and red at the root. Rays in the first dorsal 

 fin nine, in the second twenty-four; in the pectorals thirteen; 

 ventral six; anal twenty-seven, of which the first three are 

 spinous; caudal fourteen. 



