512 FisriES. 



lated, might have gradually grown into the exaggerated powers 

 afterwards ascribed to the animal. 



A second reason of the remora's thus attaching itself to the larger 

 fishes and to vessels is, that it may be in readiness to avail itself of 

 the occasional remains of the prey of the former, or of the offals 

 thrown out of the latter ; being naturally voracious, and by no 

 means delicate in its choice, and frequently following vessels in 

 great numbers in order to obtain occasional supplies of food. The 

 remora also, especially in stormy weather, adheres to rocks, like 

 the lump. fish and some others. 



The remora is principally an inhabitant of the Mediterranean 

 and Atlantic seas. Its general colour is an uniform brown, with- 

 out any material difference of shade either on the upper or lower 

 surface. It sometimes however varies in colour, and Commerson 

 assures us, that when a great number of these fishes are attached 

 either to the side of a vessel or to a large fish, it is not very un- 

 common to see one or two which differ from the rest in being of a 

 whitish colour. The skin is smooth and destitute of scales, but 

 marked with numerous impressed points or pores : the mouth is 

 large, and furnished with very numerous small teeth, and the lower 

 jaw is rather longer than the upper ; the eyes are small with yellow 

 irides ; the lateral line commences above the pectoral fins, and 

 from thence pretty suddenly descending, runs strait in the tail, 

 which is of a slightly forked, or rather lunated form. The num- 

 ber of transverse divisions on the shield of this species varies from 

 sixteen to twenty, but the most general number is eighteen. The 

 fish grows to the length of about eighteen inches. 



[Shaw. Holland. 



SECTION VII. 



Rostrate Chwtodon. 

 Chsetodon rostratus. Linn. 



The genus chsetodon contains nearly thirty species, mostly na- 

 tives of the Indian and American seas, being rarely, if ever, taken 

 in those of Europe. It has some resemblance to the flounder 

 tribe ; but is distinguished by the great depth and highly com- 



