S1LURUS. 189 



In this respect its habits bear a striking resem- 

 blance to the sturgeon. There are two species in 

 this vicinity ; the one having but one dorsal fin and 

 the other an adipose, or second high feathery dor- 

 sal, quite near the tail. The one before us has 

 this second soft fin and two more cirri ; the other 

 has but six of those appendages. 



THE HORN POUT. 



These fishes are not much admired for the ta- 

 ble ; still they are very tolerable food. Some- 

 times they are sought particularly for the sick, it 

 being supposed the flesh is remarkably easy of di- 

 gestion. In taking them from the hook, which they 

 very readily seize with almost any kind of bait, 

 there is danger of being wounded by the pectoral 

 thorn, which is kept at a right angle with the bo- 

 dy, as a weapon of defence. 



The truly enormous size to which they attain 

 in the Ohio and Mississippi rivers, may well excite 

 the astonishment of travellers. Dr Joshua B. 

 Flint, of Boston, an accurate naturalist, remarked 



