FISHES. 275 



the iris hazle, outer gold-yellow. A single row of teeth 

 in each jaw. Three short spines in front of the dorsal 

 fin, and two in front of the anal. Lateral line is ob- 

 lique, and terminates posteriorly in a semi- cartilaginous 

 ridge, projecting from either side of the tail. The 

 female is oviparous. 



Pilot-fish are almost invariably found in attendance 

 upon the shark, though the nature of their connexion 

 with that ferocious fish is somewhat mysterious. They 

 will accompany ships for a considerable time after their 

 patron-shark has been destroyed ; but I am not aware 

 that they have ever been seen, like the Remora, at- 

 tending upon other large fish, whales, or miscellaneous 

 floating bodies. The structure of their mouth and the 

 contents of their stomach, which are usually small fish, 

 denote that they are accustomed to seek their food in a 

 very independent manner : we captured many of them 

 also by hook and line, baited with flesh, nor did they 

 refuse the bait even when they were in company with a 

 shark. 



The reputation this fish has obtained of being the 

 shark's pilot or provider (and which has sanctioned its 

 trivial name) would appear to be groundless, were we 

 guided only by the want of similar precedents in the 



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