FISHES. 47 



found in the lakes of Europe. It buries itself in the 

 sand to search after worms. Its flesh is bad. A popu- 

 lar belief is, that it is the fish whose gall was used to 

 restore the sight of blind Tobias. 



FIFTH ORDER. 

 LOPHOBRANCHII. NEEDLE FISH. 



Are small, almost fleshless, and remarkable for the mail- 

 like plates which cover their bodies. The principal 

 genera belonging to this order are, first 



The Hippocampus or Sea Horse (syngnathus hippo- 

 campus), plate 20, fig. 2, which never exceeds ten inches 

 in length, is covered with rugged lamellae, dark green, 

 spotted with brown and black ; after death the color is 

 altogether brown. The head and tail are curved so as to 

 resemble that of a horse in miniature. It is found in 

 every sea ; and on account of its singular conformation, 

 is preserved in cabinets and museums. The flesh is 

 never eaten. 



The Sea Dragon (pegasus draco), plate 21, fig. 1, is, 

 like the former, covered with small horny plates. The 

 body is angular and large ; the pectoral fins are wing- 

 shaped ; the color bluish, and the knobbed lamellae 

 brown. The length of the body is four inches, and it is 

 a native of the Indian seas. 



