286 ACANTHoPT. THE WRISTED FAMILY. 



very peculiar : the anterior is articulated, by a ring 

 at its base, into a solid staple of bone, thus admit- 

 ting of free motion in every direction; the other 

 two are articulated by a stirrup, into a ridge of the 

 base ; both of which ingenious contrivances are 

 well represented in Mr. Yarrell's vignette. (Yol. i. 

 p. 307.) The first of these filaments shooting up 

 close to the upper lip, carries upon its extremity a 

 little membrane or flag, of brilliant metalic lustre, 

 which it is understood the fish uses as a means of 

 alluring its prey ; and the relative positions of the 

 flag, the eye, and the mouth, certainly suit admir- 

 ably for such a purpose. While couching, says Mr. 

 Yarrell, close to the ground, the fish by means of its 

 ventral and pectoral fins stirs up the sand or mud : 

 hidden by the obscurity thus produced, it elevates 

 its appendages, moves them in various directions, by 

 way of attracting as a bait, and the small fishes ap- 

 proaching either to examine or seize them, immedi- 

 atley become the prey of the Angler. The organ of 

 smelling also, as pointed out by Scarpa, is peculiarly 

 situated on a kind of foot-stalk, so that the fish can 

 direct it almost to any point, as a snail directs its 

 horns. The colour of the upper parts of the body 

 is brown, inclining to dusky; of the lower parts, 

 white. 



Mr. Pennant states that this fish is common in 

 the Northern Ocean, inhabiting the deepest waters : 

 it is frequent off the coast of Norway, in the Medi- 

 terranean, and in most European seas. Low states 

 it is occasionally noticed in Orkney, and captured in 



