ANOMALOUS CARtlLAGIKOUS FISHES. 229 



fet-ve for all the purpofes of ifinglafs, were it found in fufficient pknty. Of 

 this thereisafhorter and a longer. The Globe Mole, or Diodon, is remark- 

 able for the power of inflating its belly, which is ufually oblong, to a very- 

 great fize and globular lliape, thereby creating the fpines with which that 

 part is covered fo as to render it Icfs feizable, and more terrific to fifh 

 of prey. Circumference of one in this c )ndition, two feet fix, length 

 of the belly one foot, whole length one foot feven inches, belly and 

 fides white, wrinkled. Common to Europe and Carolina. 



The Fifhing Frog in (hape generally rcfembles a tadpole; but it grow* 

 to above five feet long, and its mouth is fometimes a yard wide. The 

 head is much bigger than the body ; the under jaw projefts before the up- 

 per j both are armed with rows of flender, iharp teeth : the palate and 

 tongue have alio teeth j the eyes are on the top of the head, encompafled 

 with prickles : immediately above the nofe are two long beards or fila- 

 ments, fmall in the beginning, but thicker at the end, and round. There 

 is another fpecies that has no beards. Rondeletius informs us, that, when 

 cmbowelled, the body has a kind of tranlparence j and^ if a lighted candle 

 be placed within it, as in a lanthorn, has a very formidable appearance. 

 It is an enemy to the dog-fi!h, the bodies of thofe fierce and voracious 

 animals being often found in its ftomach. 



The Lump Filh is in length fixtecn or twenty inches, weighs about four 

 pounds ; (hape deep; it fwims edgeways'; the back is fharpand elevated, 

 and the belly flat j the lips, mouth and tongue a deep red ; the whole fkin 

 is rough, with bony knobs ; the largeft row is along the ridge of th« back; 

 the belly a bright crimfon: but what makes the chief fingularity in this 

 fi{h, is an oval aperture in the belly, furrounded with a fleihy foft fub- 

 ftance, that feems bearded all round ; by means of this part, it ad- 

 heres with vaft force to any thing it pleafes. If flung into a pail of water, 

 it will ftick fo clofc to the bottom, that, on taking the fifh by the tail, one 

 may lift up pail and all, though it hold feveral gallons of water. 



The Sea Snail takes its name from the foft and undtuous texture of its 

 body, refembling a land fnail. It is almoft tranfparent, and foon dif- 

 folves and m.elts away. It is five inches long ; colour, when frelh taken, 

 paie brown ; (hape round, but flatted near the tail ; the back-fin reaches all 

 the way from the head to the tail. Beneath the throat is a round de- 

 preflTion, of a whitifh colour, furrounded by twelve brown rifings, placed 

 in a circle, by which it is thought to be alfo a fucker. It is taken ia 

 England, at the mouths of rivers, four or five miles diflant from the fea. 

 There are other fijckers of much fmaller dimenfions. 



<l^q 2 The 



