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 metallic 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 



