NATURALISTS CABINET. 



Description Food. 



bones that form the under jaw are united before 

 "by a loose cartilage, which mechanism, admitting 

 of a motion from side to side, most evidently 

 contributes to the design of the whole, viz. a 

 facility of breaking, grinding, and comminuting 

 its testaceous and crustaceous food. At the en- 

 trance of the gullet, above and below, are echi- 

 nated bones; these are very small, being the less 

 necessary, as the food is in a great measure com- 

 minuted in the mouth by aid of the grinders. 

 The body is long, and a little compressed side- 

 ways ; the skin smooth and slippery, it wants the 

 lateral line. The pectoral fins consist of eighteen 

 rays ; the dorsal fin extends from the hind part 

 of the head to the tail; the rays in the fresh fish 

 re not visible; the anal fin extends as far 

 as the dorsal fin. The tail is round at its end, 

 and consists of thirteen rays. The sides, back, 

 and fins, are of a livid lead color, the two 

 first marked downwards with irregular obscure 

 <}usky lines ; these in different fish have differ- 

 ent appearances : the young are of a greenish 

 cast. 



This fish feeds almost entirely on crustaceous 

 animals and shell fish, such as crabs, lobsters, 

 prawns, muscles, scollops, large whelks, &c.; 

 these it grinds to pieces with its teeth, and swal- 

 lows with the lesser shells. It does not appear 

 they are dissolved in the stomach, but are voided 

 with the faces, for which purpose the aperture 

 pf the anus is .wider tban in other fish of the 



