306 THE LAPLAXD ALPS. 



grey, with a black pupil. Below each eye, 

 in the cartilage of the cheek, are seven little 

 hollow pomts ranged longitudinally, and 

 in its hinder part are three others placed 

 perpendicularly. The rays which cover 

 the gills are ten on each side, connected 

 together. Fin of the back with twelve rays, 

 of which the two foremost are gradually 

 longer, the third and fourth longest of all 

 and subdi\ ided. The whole fish is black 

 in the upper part; its sides of a sky blue; 

 head and throat white underneath ; belly 

 reddish-yellow. The ventral fins are red, 

 with a white exterior edge. Many yellowish 

 spots are scattered longitudinally along 

 each side of the fish near the lateral line. 

 The tail is of a brick-colour, and forked. 

 The flesh is red, and very palatable. The 

 people here caught fifty of these fishes with 

 two hauls of the net, of which they made 

 a dinner for me and themselves. One dish 

 consisted of the fresh fish boiled, M'hich 

 was not agreeable to my palate for want of 

 salt. Others were roasted on a wooden 



