76 



the largest lie towards the end, and have many small ones be- 

 tween ihem: they are however all of the same structure, im- 

 planted in sockets and conical, base grey, striated and hollow, 

 top wrhite smooth, curved and very sharp. The longest ijn^as- 

 ure one and a half inch, and are three quarters of an inch thick 

 at the base. The diameter of the body is nearly one sixth of 

 the total length. The anal and dorsal fins are small and with 

 few rays. It is called the Alligator fish or Alligator gar, and 

 by the Lo'aisianians Poisson Cayman. The scales are largCj 

 convex, ar.d rhomboidal. 



XXIX Genus. Diamond Fish. Litholepis. Litholepe. 



Body fusiform, covered with hard stony pentaedral scales,' 

 vent nearly medial. Abdominal nn near the vent. One dorsal 

 fin opposite to the anal. Head bony scalelcss protruded anteri- 

 orly in a long snout, mouth beneath the head, jaws not elonga- 

 ted, with strong unequal teeth. Opering of the gills very large. 

 Tail not obliqual. All the fins with rays. 



A very singular genus, which comes very near to the last sub- 

 genus; but diiFers by the snout, mouth, tail, scales, Sec. It 

 must belong however to the same family. The name means 

 Stony scales. 



9 l5t Species. Devil-Jack Diamond-fish. LUholefiis ad- 

 mmantinus. Litholepe adamantin. 



•Snout obtuse as long as the head; head one fourth of total 

 length; body fusiform blackish: dorsal and anal fins equal and 

 •with many rays: tail bilobed, lateral line obsolete. 



Litholepis adamantinus, Raf. in American Monthly Mag- 

 iBzine, 1818, Vol. 3, p. 447, and in Journal de Physique et Hist, 

 JVat. 70 JV. G. d'Animaux^ G. 20. 



This may be reckoned the wonder of the Ohio. It is only 

 ft>iind as far up as the talis, and probably lives also in the Mis- 

 sissippi. I have seen it, but only at a distance, and have been 

 shown some of its singular scales. Wcnderful stones are re- 

 lated eoncepning this fish, but I have principally relied upon 

 the description and figure given ixie by Mr. Audubon. Its 

 length is from 4 to 10 feet. One was caught which weighed 

 400ibs. It lies sometimes asleep or mc-lionless on the surface 

 f f the waier, and may be mistaken for a log or a snag. It i'^ 



