37S STUDIES OF NATURE. 



caught on the coafts of Madagafcar. He fays, 

 that this fifli, which takes pleafure in the rocks, 

 is ftreaked in the form of lozenges; that his fcales 

 are of a pale gold-colour, and that his back is co- 

 loured and glazed over with laca, inclining, in fe- 

 veral places, toward vermilion. His dorfal fin 

 and tail are waved with azure, fading away into 

 green toward the extremities. 



About the bottom of the fame rocks is likewife 

 found the magnificent fifh called the fardin, and 

 by the Brafilians acarapinima^ of which Marcgrave 

 has given the figure in his 4th Book, Chap. 6. 

 This beautiful fifli is adorned with fcales of at 

 once a gold and filver hue, crofTed from head to 

 tail by black lines, which admirably heighten their 

 luftre. The fame Author defcribes a variety of 

 fpecies of the moon-fifh, befides, which frequent 

 the fame places. 



For my own part, I have amufed myfelf on the 

 rocks of the llland of Afcenfion, in obferving, for 

 hours together, the moon-fifh fporting amidft the 

 tumultuous waves, which are inceffantly breaking 

 upon them. Thefe filhes, of which there are va- 

 rious fpecies, have the rounded, and fometimes 

 iloping form of the orb of night, whofe name they 

 bear. They are, befides, like her, of the colour 

 of polifhed filver. They feem deftined to elude 



the 



