48 CROWN OF THE KING OF THE HERRINGS. 



found in pairs. The edges of these portions of skin are 

 serrated, and they fit closely together so as to form a 

 sort of canopy. Inside each canopy I find some peculiar 

 white minute bodies. I have no notion of the meaning 

 of all this. 



The eye in life must have had a monstrous and 

 fierce appearance ; the lens is nearly as large as a 

 small marble, "which, when the fish first arrived, ap- 

 peared to be of a beautiful sea-green colour. The eyes 

 are directed well forward, and, together with the hideous 

 nose, form a figure-head worthy the imagination of the 

 nost barbarous Chinaman that ever designed a figure- 

 head for a piratical war-junk. Upon the top of the 

 head, nearly between the eyes, the chimsera carries a 

 most curious crown of bone ; it is about the size and 

 shape of a large hook (such as used with "eyes" 

 in millinery), and is directed forward towards the tip 

 of the nose ; its end is rounded, and covered by a 

 multitude of sharp spiny processes, the largest of which 

 are in the centre, the smallest on the circumference 

 of this bone. If the bone be pressed backwards the 

 spine-covered end will be found to fit into a cavity 

 of soft skin, which apx^ears to be si:)ecially placed there 

 in order that the spines may not get injured. I have 

 not the remotest idea what can be the use of this 

 remarkable appendage. It is found only in the male. 

 It is somewhat like a crown, and hence the Norwegians 

 have called the chimsera the "King Fish," and also 

 "King of the Herrings." In the female this crown is 

 altogether absent. 



Considering the formidable appearance of this fish, the 

 teeth are ludicrously harmless. They project out from 

 under fleshy lips, and resemble at first sight the teeth 

 of a rabbit ; hence the fish is sometimes called the 



