FATHER LASHER. 239 



t The part by which these fish fix themselves, is an oval 

 space, with sixteen or eighteen grooves on the top of the 

 head. They frequently adhere to the bodies of the larger 

 ifish, by which means they are enabled to pass through 

 large tracts of ocean in infinitely less time than they would 

 jbe able to swim to the same distance by their own exer- 

 [tions. But with respect to their power of arresting the 

 'progress of a ship or a fish, it has been justly remarked, 

 'that however numerous they may be upon it, they cannot 

 jjpossibly have any greater influence over its motions, than 

 Uo many solid bodies of any description, and of equal size, 

 ladhering to it. Sucking-fishes are found chiefly in the 

 (Mediterranean Sea and Pacific Ocean. 



They measure from twelve to eighteen inches in length. 

 The tail is forked ; and on the head there is an oval space, 

 with from sixteen to nineteen furrows or grooves. The 

 back is convex and black, and the belly white. 



7. BULL-HEAD TRIBE, 



The bodies of these fish are viscous, and the scales so 

 small as scarcely to be perceptible. The head is larger 

 than the body, and more or less spiny. 



Father Lasher. It is chiefly in the Northern Ocean 

 land the Baltic Sea that this species of bull-head, remark- 

 lable for their weapons, their strength, and their agility, 

 are found. They pursue, with great rapidity, various 

 smaller kinds of fish ; and are generally found in shoals, 

 jnear the bottom of the water, never approaching the 

 isurface, except when the pressure of hunger compels 

 them to pursue there their prey. They will even obsti- 

 nately combat with fish much larger in size than them- 

 selves ; employing, in this warfare, the spines of the head, 



