492 



THK LOPHIUS EURYPTERUS. 



Besides man, it has other foes. Kroyer relates 

 that when on one occasion, a fisherman of his acquaint- 

 ance was about to row to land, he observed an immense 

 shark — probably a specimen of the Scymims borealis, 

 Scoresby — floundering on the surface of the w^ater. The 

 men (for there Avere several in the boat) rowed close up 

 to the monster, without its attempting- to get out of the 

 way, and one of them was bold enough to strike it on 

 the head with an oar, the only weapon at hand, which 

 rendered it senseless. Afterwards they towed it ashore, 

 and on ripping open its belly, found, to their astonish- 

 ment, Avithin it a very large Sea Devil, the bulk and the 

 struggles of which had, doi^btlessly, reduced the Shark 

 to the helpless state in w^hich it was found. 



THE LOl'llIUS EUHYPTERUS. 



The LopMus eurypterus, von Diiben & Koren, is 

 very rare in the Scandinavian seas, only three specimens 

 having as yet been obtained, and all on the west coast of 

 Norw^ay. No mention is made by Swedish ichthyologists 

 of its inhabiting the Baltic, nor does Kroyer include it 

 amongst the Danish fishes. This diminutive species 

 (neither of the specimens spoken of exceeding four inches 

 in length) may, it is said, always be distinguished by the 

 large pectorals, much more broad than long, and the 

 ventrals spread out like a fan, with six rays. But after 



