238 COMMON SUCKING-FISH. 



seize it, fall a sacrifice to their own voracity. Burbots 

 spawn in December and January, on smooth places at 

 the bottoms of rivers. In some countries, the air-bladders 

 of the Burbot, which are very large, are employed for the 

 making of isinglass. These fish are very abundant in 

 some of the rivers of the continent, and are also found in 

 the East Indies. 



The largest of the English Burbots seldom weigh more 

 than two or three pounds. They have but two dorsal 

 fins ; and have two beards at the end of the nose, and 3 

 third on the chin. The jaws are of equal length. Tht 

 head is flat and ugly, not unlike that of a toad. The 

 body is long and round ; and its general colour dusky, or 

 dirty green, spotted with black and yellow ; and, in some 

 individuals, the belly is white. 



ORDER HI. THORACIC FISH. 



6. SUCKING-FISH TRIBE. 



These fish are enabled to adhere to solid bodies by 

 upper part of their head. This contains an oval spa 

 and has across it a great number of grooves. 





Common Slicking -fish, or Remora. The anci 

 had some very extraordinary notions concerning this 

 fish. They believed, amongst other things, that by the 

 power which it has of adhering to solid bodies, it was 

 able to stop the progress of a ship, even in its fastest 

 motion. 



" The Sucking-fish beneath, with secret chains, 

 Clung to the keel, the swiftest ship detains." 



