GYMNODONTIDJS. 



to put his hands under it, and lift it fairly into the boat. 

 The Sun-fish has been generally mentioned as remarkable 

 for its phosphorescence ; but this specimen did not exhibit 

 that phenomenon so distinctly as a Haddock or a Herring." 

 Pennant repeats Brunnich's account, that between Antibes 

 and Genoa he saw one of this species lie asleep on the sur- 

 face of the water : a sailor jumped overboard and caught it. 



Mr. Couch says the Short Sun-fish is migratory, keeping 

 probably at the bottom, and feeding on seaweeds in its ordi- 

 nary habits ; but in calm weather it mounts to the surface, 

 and lies, perhaps asleep, with its head and even its eyes 

 above the water, floating with the tide. Mr. Couch has 

 known the Sun-fish make powerful but awkward efforts to 

 escape when attacked, bending and directing its motions in 

 various ways. 



The figure here given, and the description, are taken from 

 a preserved specimen in the Museum of the Zoological So- 

 ciety. This is the smallest example I have seen. It mea- 

 sures but fourteen inches from the point of the nose to the 

 end of the body ; the breadth of the caudal fin two inches ; 

 the depth of the body eleven inches and a half : the length 

 of the dorsal fin eight inches ; of the anal fin, seven inches 

 and a half: the extension of skin connecting the fin-rays 

 rather thick. The mouth small ; the branchial aperture just 

 in advance of the pectoral fin, small and oval ; the vent just 

 before the anal fin ; the caudal fin occupying the whole space 

 between the anal and dorsal fins, and attached to the pos- 

 terior vertical edge of the body as by a long hinge ; the sur- 

 face of the body in this young specimen but slightly rough- 

 ened, and somewhat wrinkled. The colour of the upper 

 part of the body dusky bluish grey ; the lower part olive 

 brown. The fin-rays in number are 



D. 15 : P. 11 : A. 15 : C. 13. 



