FISH SKETCHES AND FISH STORIES 381 



a base. The four teeth which form the rim are 

 white; the four crowded below are tinted with 

 green, making a pretty green and white mosaic 

 work; the green gradually grows darker until it 

 merges into the uniform color of the bony beak 

 or jaw. 



THE TEETH OF FISHES 



offer a more striking series of varieties than that 

 of any other animal. First, the sturgeon and 

 the whole order to which it belongs is without 

 teeth; the myxinoids have only a single tooth; and, 

 lastly, are those fish whose mouths are filled with 

 countless numbers of fangs or points as the pike. 

 The dental organs are always an important and 

 almost a sure key to the habits of an animal; for 

 from the form, construction, and position of the 

 teeth an accurate and definite conclusion can be 

 reached as to the kind of food eaten. So in the 

 curious arrangement of the mouth of the parrot 

 fish we see that the teeth grow in crowds, new ones 

 being always ready to take the place of the old 

 ones that are worn away, from which fact it would 

 be natural to infer that the teeth are much worn 

 in masticating the food, and that the food must 

 be hard. This reference is proved to be correct 

 upon learning that their food is the corals that 

 cover the bottom of the sea like a brilliant garden 

 of many-colored flowers. The sensitive little 

 creatures upon which these fish feed, retire when 

 touched into their calcareous suits of armor, and 



