290 NATURALIST'S CABINET. 



Description Excessive voracity. 



THE DOREE. 



THE doree, which is known by a brown spot 

 on each side, in shape somewhat resembles a 

 flounder. The head is flat laterally, and the 

 mouth immoderately large. Both the back and 

 belly are armed with sharp points, the former has 

 a single row of them to the second dorsal fin, 

 from which, to the tail, it has a double row of 

 unequal length. The scales are very small and 

 thin, which has caused some ichthyologists to 

 doubt their existence. The spots on the sides 

 have made the doree a rival of the haddock for 

 the honor of St. Peter's touch when he took the 

 tribute money from its mouth. Aldrovandus says, 

 that it was frequently hung up in Roman catho- 

 lic churches, on account of the sanctity which 

 this circumstance was supposed to have imparted 

 to it. It grows to the length of a foot, or a foot 

 and a half;, and weighs ten or twelve pounds. 



This fish is found in the German ocean. It ie 

 a native of the Mediterranean, so that when Ovid 

 speaks of it as a " rare fish," it must be presumed 

 that he alludes to the quality of its flesh. At 

 Hamburg it is called by the fishermen the king 

 of herrings. Its excessive voracity causes it to 

 bite at every kind of bait. It is found on the 

 shores, whither it pursues the fish that frequent 

 them for the purpose of spawning. 



The flesh of the doree is an excellent dish, 

 especially when" fat, but from its hideous appeF- 

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