8^ SAND LAUKCE. 



and used by the fishermen as a bait : it is also con- 

 sidered as a delicate article of food. The general 

 length of the Launce is from eight to ten inches : 

 its form slightly square, being rather rounded on 

 the sides, and somewhat flattened above and be- 

 neath : the head is small and taper, and the under 

 jaw much longer than the upper: the mouth is 

 destitute of teeth, but at the entrance of the throat 

 are two rough oblong bones for retaining the prey : 

 the openings of the gills are large, and the opercula 

 consist of four lamina? : the nostrils are double, and 

 placed midway between the eyes and the mouth : 

 along the back runs a furrow, capable of receiving 

 the dorsal fin: the lateral line is strait, running 

 along the middle of the body, and besides this there 

 is another near the back, and a third near the 

 belly : the dorsal fin runs almost the whole length 

 of the back, and is very narrow, and furnished with 

 soft rays : the pectoral fins are small ; the anal fin 

 runs from the vent to the tail, and is narrow like that 

 of the back : the tail is slightly forked, but the lobes 

 rounded at their extremities : the general colour of 

 the body is blue or greenish towards the back, and 

 the sides and belly silvery, but sometimes of a yel- 

 lowish cast, and over the whole fish are commonly 

 seen numerous oblique fibres or markings on the 

 surface of the skin* The Launce lives on worms, 

 water-insects, and small fishes, and even occasion- 

 ally on those of its own species, since Dr. Bloch 

 informs us, that on opening two individuals, he 

 found a young one of about two inches long in the 

 stomach of each. It is itself preyed upon by the 



