suNFisii. 379 



notice of, whicli was caught off Berry Head, measured seven 

 feet nine inches in length with eight feet and a half in 

 depth, inckiding the fins, and it is probably the same that is 

 now in the British Museum. But a more usual size scarcely 

 exceeds the half of this, the general appearance conveying the 

 impression of its being the anterior portion of some large 

 fish that has been separated from the rest of the body, to 

 which opinion the structure of the tail contributes not a little. 

 The example described measured three feet in length, which 

 includes the tail; the depth of the body about two feet, but 

 taking in the perpendicular fins, four feet. The head bony, 

 and thicker than the body, with a prominent ridge above the 

 eye; the mouth under a short and blunt snout, small, capable 

 of little action; no appearance of a tongue; each jaw merely 

 an enameled surface of bone, but in the lower jaw, when 

 cleaned from the flesh in the instance of a large individual, 

 the surface of the concave portion had several projections which 

 resembled teeth. The body about six inches thick; opening of 

 the gills small, a little before the pectoral fin; eye lateral, of 

 moderate size, moveable in its socket, furnished with a nictitant 

 membrane. On the body several lines which seem fitted to 

 facilitate the bending of its surface in active motion. The vent 

 prominent, close before the anal fin; the pectoral small, round, 

 received into a depression of the surface; the dorsal and anal 

 triangular, at their base joined to the caudal; which latter is 

 narrow, often waved, running the breadth or depth of the body, 

 and in the recent state not easily distinguished from it. Colour 

 of the back and fins dusky, sometimes nearly black, sides and 

 belly shining white. The name of Sunfish will not appear ill 

 bestowed when it is seen brilliantly shining on the surface of 

 the sea with its side uppermost; an action supposed to be an 

 indication of continued fine weather. In some smaller examples 

 I have seen beautiful variegations of colour in stripes and 

 blotches of yellow, blue, and white; and on one occasion an 

 example was brought to me alive, with an appearance of 

 distension or fulness, the nature of which appeared as the 

 fish died in a large discharge of fluid of an offensive smell, 

 from an outlet between the vent and anal fin ; and on dissection 

 this was found to lead to a large urinary bladder, which 

 communicated with large kidneys by a couple of ureters. The 



