SOFT-FINNED FISH. 



299 



long; the fin covering the gills with three, six, 

 or seven spines ; prickles starting backward 

 before the back fins and the fins of the anus. 1 



Prickly -finned Abdominal Fish. 



24. The Silurus or Sheath-fish. The body 

 oblong; the head large; the fin covering the 

 gills from four to fourteen spines ; the leading 

 bones or spines in the back and pectoral fins 

 toothed. 



25. The Mugul or Mullet. The body ob- 

 long; the head almost conical ; the upper-jaw 

 witli a furrow, which receives the prominence 

 of the under ; the fin covering the gills with 

 seven rays. 



26. The Polynemus. The body oblong ; 

 the head with a beak ; the fin covering the 

 gills with from five to seven spines ; the bones 

 that move the pectoral fins not articulated to 

 those fins. 



27. The Teuthys. The body almost ellipti- 

 cal ; the head abruptly shortened ; the fin 

 covering the gills with five rays ; the teeth in 

 a single row, close, strong, and even. 



28. The Elops or Sea-serpent. The body 

 slender; the head large; the fin covering the 

 gills double, with thirty spines, and armed 

 externally with five bones resembling teeth. 



SECT. II. 



SOFT-FINNED FISHES. 



Soft-finned Apodal Fish. 

 29. The Murcena or Eel. The body round 



1 Thejifteen-spined Stickleback or Great Stickleback 



This fish, which is the largest species of the sticklebacks, 

 is slender, being only an inch thick, and nine in length: 

 the snout is long ; and the body of a pentagonal figure 

 towards the tail, which is flat, the mouth is small, and 

 the upper jaw projects beyond the lower. The gills and 

 the bony plate on the belly are brown upon the upper 

 part, silvery and streaked upon the lower. It has two 

 pectoral fins, one dorsal, rising in a triangular form from 

 the middle of the back; between this and the head are 

 fifteen distinct spines inclined towards the tail, which, 

 when depressed, are insensible to the touch. The fins 

 of the belly consist of two spines, the foremost of which 

 is the longest. In the fin at the anus 'there is also a 

 covered spine, but the other fins are soft and ramified. 

 The fifteen-spined sticklebacks, like the last mentioned 

 species, are found in the Baltic sea and the German 

 ocean ; they are very common in Holland, and also near 

 Lubeck in the duchy of Holstein. M. Bloch says, that 

 their ordinary size does not exceed seven inches, and 

 that he has found small crabs in their stomach. The 

 great stickleback does not ascend the rivers like the other 

 kinds, never leaving the sea, where it is taken among 

 other fish. Large quantities are sometimes taken by 

 kindling a fire on the shore, which draws them in shoals 

 to the nets. A kind of lamp oil is extracted from them 



and slender ; the head terminating in a beak ; 

 the fin covering the gills with ten rays; the 

 opening to the gills pipe-fashion, placed near 

 the pectoral fins; the fins of the back, the anus, 

 and the tail, united in one. 2 



30. The Gymnotus or Carapo* The body 

 roundest on the back, like theblade of a knife; 

 the head small ; the fin covering the gills with 

 five rays ; the back without a fin ; two beards 

 or filaments from the upper lip; an inhabitant 

 of Brazil. 



31. The Anarhicas or Wolf fish. The body 

 roundish and slender; the head large and 

 blunt; the fore-teeth above and below conical; 

 the grinding teeth and those in the palate 

 round; the fin covering the gill has seven 

 rays. 



32. The Stromateus. The body oblong; 

 the head small ; the teeth moderately sharp; 

 the fin covering the gills with five or six rays. 



33. The Ammodytes or Launce. The body 

 slender and roundish ; the head terminated by 

 a beak; the teeth of a hair-like fineness; the 

 fin covering the gills with seven rays. 



Soft-finned Jugular Fish. 



34. The Lepadogaster. The body wedge- 

 like; the head oblong, forwarder than the 

 body, flattish, the beak resembling that of a 

 duck ; the pectoral fins double, two on each 

 side ; the ventral fins joined together ; a kind 

 of bony breastplate between the pectoral fins; 

 the fin covering the gills with five rays ; the 

 opening to the gills pipe-fashion. 



35. The Gadus or Cod-fish. The body ob- 

 long ; the head wedge-like; the fin covering the 



gills with seven rays: several back and anal 

 fins. 4 



Soft finned Thoracic Fish. 



36. The Pleuronectes or Flatfish. The body 

 elliptical; the head small; both eyes on one 

 side of the head ; the fin covering the gills 

 with from four to seven rays. 



and what remains is used as manure. They are, how- 

 ever, frequently eaten by the poor. 



2 See an account of Eels given in Note at page 286. 



3 See an account of the Gymnotus given in Note 

 at page 279. 



4 The Cod is taken in immense numbers in all the 

 northern coasts. It is abundant among the islands to 

 the north and west of Scotland. It spawns about Feb- 

 ruary, and is in the greatest perfection as food from the 



