OP LA PEROUSE. 4j 



choice of food, and frefli proviHons are always 

 preferred to fait meat. 



I found adhering in pretty large numbers to 

 the internal coats, and the fuperior opening of its 

 itomach, fome worms o the dor is genus of Lin- 

 naeus, which were two centimeters in length : 

 although the mark was dead, they did not eafily 

 quit their hold ; I faw now and then project the 

 two tentacles which form one of the diftinctive 

 characters of this genus. 



The mouth of the mark being fituated be- 

 neath an elongated roftrum, fubjecls it to the 

 neceffity of turning almofl on its back to map 

 at the objects which it perceives above it ; its 

 whitifh belly, which is then diftinguimable, 

 even at a great depth, on account of the limpi- 

 dity of the fea-water, apprifes the fifherman 

 when he mould draw in the line, in order to 

 hook this voracious animal. 



Nature has taken good care that it mould not 

 let its prey efcape ; for, befides feveral rows of 

 teeth, arranged in a manner the molt fit for 

 cutting the hardeft fubftances, the inlide of its 

 mouth is furnifhed with afperities which counter- 

 aS. the retreat of the bodies that it has juft feized. 



The mips which trade to India would not 

 have miffed the opportunity of collecting the 

 fins of this animal, which are in requeft with 



the 



