THE SEA-HOUSE. 10Q 



Description Different Species. 



in the Indian Ocean, and at Ascension Island, 

 all which, together with the unicorn, go by the 

 general name of the belistes. 



THE SEA-HORSE. 



THE head of the sea-horse bends towards its 

 belly, and from its form, gives name to the ani- 

 mal, which never exceeds nine inches in length, 

 and is about as thick as a man's thumb. The 

 whole body seems to be composed of cartilagi- 

 nous rings, on the intermediate membranes of 

 which several prickles are placed. The snout is 

 a kind of tube, with a hole at the bottom, to 

 which there is a cover that the animal can open 

 and shut at pleasure. Behind the eyes are two 

 fins that look like ears; and above them are two 

 holes that serve for respiration. The tail gene- 

 rally curls downward ; along the ridges is a row 

 wf tubercles; the whole animal is speckled; and 

 while alive it is said to have hair on the fore part 

 of its body, which falls off when it is dead. This 

 animal more resembles a sea-horse than a fish. 



One species of this fish is common in th<? 

 Mediterranean and Western Ocean; but in place 

 of tubercles it has short spines. There is also 

 another species, which is smooth, without spots, 

 and is found in the Straits of Sunda, in the East 

 Indies. 



