OBLONG SUN-FISH. 355 



characters of the true mola, if any had existed ; and this fish 

 being probably very old, as well as very large, was the more 

 likely to have assumed the elongated appearance of this se- 

 cond species. 



The Oblong Sun-fish seems to be much more rare than 

 that last figured. Dr. Borlase appears to be the first and 

 almost the only English writer who has seen and described it. 

 In his Natural History of Cornwall, he speaks of it under 

 the title of the Sun-fish from Mount's Bay, after having 

 described and figured the Short Sun-fish, and mentions that 

 a specimen of this second species was taken at Plymouth in 

 1734, that weighed five hundred pounds. 



Mr. Donovan, in his Natural History of British Fishes, 

 says, " We have seen the dried skin of this species, the 

 animal of which, when living, weighed between two and 

 three hundred pounds. Our figure is taken from a small 

 specimen, obtained in a recent state, in one of our fishing 

 excursions on the Bristol Channel. This fish subsists on 

 worms of the testaceous and other tribes, small crabs, &c. 

 fragments of these being found on dissection in the stomach." 



Mr. Couch, in his MS. says, " I have never met with this 

 fish ; but a fisherman informs me he once took a Sun-fish 

 differing in figure from that with which he was familiar, and 

 which from his description I judge to be this fish. His at- 

 tention was particularly attracted by the curious and beau- 

 tiful waved stripes which it acquired after death, but which 

 he did not observe while it was alive." 



Never having seen a specimen of this fish, the figure here 

 given is from Mr. Donovan's work, and the description from 

 that of Pennant. 



" This fish grows to a great bulk ; that which was ex- 

 amined by Salvianus was above a hundred pounds in weight. 

 In form it resembles a Bream, or some deep fish cut off in 



