296 CHONDKOPTERYGII. CHOICER A FAMILY. 



markable fish. It is comparatively, however, wel? 

 known to the Norwegians, who give it the name of 

 gold or silver fish, from the resplendent colour which 

 forms the ground of the body, and which is set off 

 by the dark spots above and below the lateral line. 

 It is also called by them Sea-rat^ from the form of 

 the tail, and King-fish^ from a filament terminating 

 in a tuft, which is found on the head of the male. 

 They obtain an oil from the liver by infiltration, 

 which is esteemed useful in complaints of the eyes, 

 and is also applied to wounds. * The colours are 

 very beautiful, the upper parts dark brown, varied 

 with yellowish brown and silvery ; the lower parts 

 bright silver; the eyes large, green, with silvery 

 irides, their lustre extremely brilliant. It is on ac- 

 count of the colour and brilliancy of the eyes that 

 the Mediterranean fishermen call it Cat. The fe- 

 male differs considerably from the male, particularly 

 in the form of the head, which is more conical. The 

 males are distinguished by having a short upright 

 process, or caruncle, fringed or denticulated at the 

 extremity, springing from the forehead, and they 

 have also trifid bony appendages to the ventral fins. 

 Cuvier says they produce very large coriaceous eggs 

 with flattened velvety edges. One of the reasons 

 of this fish being so seldom seen is, that it com- 

 monly frequents the deep recesses of the ocean, 



* Pennant's Brit. Zool. iii. p. 1 60 



