THE SUN-FISH. 173 



under fin, there is no tail. The jaAvs are armed 

 with an undivided cutting edge. This fish is 

 very shining ; it often grows to a great size, and 

 has been taken Aveighing three hundred pounds, 

 but such large specimens are very rare. Gene- 

 rally these fishes are observed drifting along as 

 if asleep on their side, but sometimes swimming 

 in the ordinary manner ; they keep much at 

 the bottom of the water, and there feed on sea- 

 weeds. They often, however, ascend in calm 

 sunny weather, and lie basking on the surface, 

 carried along gently with the tidal current. 



