200 BURBOT. Class. IV 



ed Lota, and it is alfo met with in the Lago Mag- 

 giore, and Lugano. 

 Descrip. The largeft that we ever heard was taken in our 

 waters weighed between two and three pounds, 

 but abroad they are fometimes found of double 

 that weight. 



Their body has fome refemblance to that of an 

 eel, only fhorter and thicker, and its motions alfo 

 refemble thofe of that fifli : they are befides very 

 fmooth, flippery, and (limy. 



The head is very ugly, being flat, and fhaped like 

 that of a toad: the teeth are very fmall, but nume- 

 rous : the irides yellow. 



On the end of the nofe are two fmall beards ♦, 

 on the chin another ; the number of its branchi- 

 oftegous rays are feven. 



The firft dorfal fin is fhort : the fecond is placed 

 immediately behind it, and extends almoft to the 

 tail : the pectoral fins are rounded : the ventral 

 fins confift of fix rays, of which the two firft are 

 divided near their ends from each other : the vent 

 is placed in the middle of the belly, and the anal 

 fin reaches almoft to the tail : the tail is rounded 

 at the end. 

 Color. The color of this fpecies varies % fome are dufky, 



others of a dirty green, fpotted with black, and 

 oftentimes with yellow, and the belly in fome is 

 white; but the real colors are frequently concealed 

 by the flime, 



Muflella 



