Notice of the Spoonbill Sturgeon. 203 
the gills to the pectoral fins, three inches—from the gills .to 
the tail, three feet—caudal fin, very forked ; upper fork much 
the longest, and twelve inches across—dorsal and anal fin, 
opposite—from the top of the head to the lower jaw, eight 
inches—length of the gill flap, seven inches—back and sides 
a light slate colour, spotted with black— belly, white—skin, 
glabrous or smooth, like that of an eel, and = lightly cover- 
with iasisbactiid flesh is very compac and firm, and 
hard when boiled ; afiording no very Rite dish for the ep- 
icure 
From its solid muscular structure, it is probably a fish of 
great activity in its native element. The head is large in 
proportion to the body, and mouth very capacious, being in 
amplitude of jaws filly equal to the pike. The jaws are 
without teeth ; but the fauces are lined with several tissues of 
the most beautifal net work, evidently for the purpose of col- 
lecting its food from the water, by straining, or passing it 
through ae ciliary fee in the same manner as prae- 
tised by the spermaceti whale. Near the top cf the head 
are two small holes ; feisi Siete open appearance and appar- _ 
ent communication with the fauces, or back of the mouth, ‘it 
sible he may discharge the water through them, in the 
stiller practised by cetaceous animals. At the back part of 
the head, and attached by its lower edge to the upper part of 
the gills, is a loose, ensiform membrane, seven inches in 
length, and three inches in width at the base, and termina- 
— in a point on the sides of the fish. The eyes are placed 
t the base of the et or spatula, and further forward, as 
slat tothe head, than is common in most fis shes—spine, car- 
tilaginous. Ofwint ate this long nose can be, is not sO easy 
to determine— it is ectly smooth and ¢ aetteate? composed 
of cartilaginous substance, and two inches thick. It is 
ble he may use it for moving and digging up the soft mud in 
the bottom of the river, and when the water is ws saturated, 
draw it through the filamentous strainers in searcl 
This specimen was caught in a net, near Masti in June, 
1821. A drawing and minutes of his dimensions were taken 
at that time, ‘but the anatomical examination, and critical 
description of all his parts, was not so accurate and particu- 
laras it ought to have been, nor, as I shall endeavour to 
make, should an opportunity offer again—such as it is, héw- 
ever, it may be thought to be worth Ae the g. 
