370 APPENDIX. 



in a reversed direction ; hence its name of ^' Elephant 

 fish." 



An indented line runs across the forehead, and is 

 continued in a serpentine course into the lateral line ; 

 this hollow is filled with numerous distinct pores. 



The ej'cs are ver}^ large, and in the living fish, at 

 night, shine with phosphorescent splendour. 



The dorsal fin is very large, of triangular shape, 

 furnished with a strong sharp spine, projecting beyond 

 the finny part. This spine has a saw in front, like 

 that part in a carp. 



The pectoral fins are very large, and of a triangular 

 sliape; they are situate beneath the first dorsal. 

 The ventral are of a similar shape, but much smaller, 

 and placed at middle distance from the head to the 

 middle of the tail, which is curved, the longest ex- 

 tremity on the upper side. At the base of each fin 

 in the males, is a lengthened sub-cylindrical process, 

 roughened by numerous sharp prominences in a re- 

 versed direction. 



The female fish could not be thought to be of the 

 same genera, were it not for the elongation of the 

 upper lip. 



Many naturalists, both English and foreign, have 

 written on these fish. This account I partly con- 

 densed from " Shaw's Zoology," and partly from 

 specimens in the British Museum, where a very ta- 



