SOLE. SUCKL\(;-FISH. 113 



16. SOLES, Solea, have an oblong body, a round projecting 

 snout, the dorsal extending from the mouth to the anal fin, and 

 the mouth distorted and armed with teeth on one side only. The 

 Common Sole, Platessa solea, or Solea vulgaris, is olive brown 

 on the right side and grayish on the left. It is found on our own 

 coast, chiefly at the mouths of rivers, and is an excellent fish. 



17. The FAMILY OF DISCOBOLI is composed of a small number 

 of Subbranchian Malacopterygians, which have the ventral fins 

 united in form of a disk. It includes two genera, in which are 

 placed the Lump-Fish, and Lump Sucker. 



18. The FAMILY OF ECHENEIS, formed of a single genus, is re- 

 markable among all fishes for a flattened disk, which covers the 



p. -g head, ( Fig. 56. ) it is composed of a certain 

 number of moveable, transverse cartilaginous 

 plates, standing obliquely backwards, by the 

 assistance of which, the animal can attach itself 

 to different bodies to which it applies this singular 

 instrument By this means, it often attaches itself 

 to rocks, to vessels, and to other fishes, particu- 

 DISK OF A iarly to the shark. A species, which lives in the 

 REMORA. Mediterranean and the Atlantic, has been long 

 celebrated under the name of Remora, or Sucking-Fish, (Fig. 57.) 

 and its history is loaded jC. 57. 



with fable. It was pre- 

 tended that this fish lived 

 by a species of suction, 

 which it exerted by means 



of the disk, (Fig. 56.) THE REMORA. 



above mentioned, and the power of arresting the fastest sailing 

 vessel in her course, was attributed to it. A species, similar to 

 the preceding, is very common in the waters of the Isle of France, 

 and it appears that, on the coast of Caffraria, it is employed in 

 fishing, setting it off in pursuit of fishes, and drawing it in by a 

 line attached to the tail, as soon as it has fixed itself to its prey. 



ORDER OF MALACOPTERYGII APODA. 



19. All the fishes of this order have an elongated form, a thick, 

 soft, and but slightly scaly skin ; but their chief characteristic is 

 their want of ventral fins. They form a single natural family, 

 ANGUILLIFORMES, which is composed of the tribe of eels, gymnotus, 

 &c. &c 



1 6. What are the characters of Soles ? 



17. How is the family of Discoboli characterised? 



18. What are the characters of the Remora ? 



19. How are Apodous Malacopterygians characterised ? 



y * 



