292 NATURALIST'S CABINET. 



Dr. Mortimer's account. 



the body, which were of a bright green, were all 

 speckled with oblong white spots ; the chaps 

 were of a pale red ; the nose, gills, and belly, 

 were of a silver color, and all the fins of a bright 

 scarlet. It was three feet seven inches long, and 

 three feet ten inches round the thickest part ; it 

 weighed eighty-two pounds. Its mouth was 

 small, its tongue thick, almost like the human 

 tongue in shape, but rough and thick set with 

 beards or prickles which pointed backwards, so 

 that any thing might easily pass down, but could 

 not easily slip back again; therefore these might 

 serve instead of teeth for retaining its prey or 

 food ; its gills resembled those of the salmon ; 

 its body grows very taper towards the tail, and 

 from being compressed to ten inches thickness, 

 becomes near the tail almost round, and about 

 three inches thick. The whole shape of this fish 

 much resembles that of the sea-bream, but it 

 differs in size, being much larger, and in not 

 having teeth or scales. The fin standing erect 

 on the back has some aculei next the neck, and 

 rises up to eight inches, but in the middle dimi- 

 nishes to one inch, and near the tail rises again 

 to three inches ; the belly fin, opposite to this, 

 spreads three inches near the tail, and diminishes, 

 towards the vent; the tail fin is forked, and 

 spreads twelve inches ; the gill fins are nine 

 inches long and three wide at their basis. It 

 seems to be a new species of fish not yet de- 

 by any author," 



