CHONDROPTERYGII. 195 



but burrows in mud like worms, which in gene- 

 ral habits it much resembles. It is not larger than 

 a quill. 



Myxine,* the Hag. 



This worm-like fish has a mouth furnished with 

 one hooked tooth, but the tongue has two rows 

 of teeth on each side ; the lips are surrounded with 

 eight cirri, or feelers ; the gill-apertures, which 

 are two, are placed under the breast. Instead of 

 a spine, composed of a series of joints, there is 

 merely a soft and flexible cartilaginous tube; the 

 eyes are wanting. From pores along the under 

 surface, a thick mucous secretion exudes in great 

 quantity at pleasure, by means of which it proba- 

 bly conceals itself when devouring prey. Kalm 

 having put a Hag (M. Glutinosa) into a large tub 

 of sea-water, it became like a clear thick glue, from 

 which he could draw threads, even moving the ani- 

 mal with them. A second water, upon its being 

 again immersed, in a quarter of an hour became 

 the same. Mr. Yarrell observes, " It is impossible 

 to dissect a Myxine, and attend to the structure 

 and substance of its investing skin, without being 

 forcibly reminded of its great resemblance to the 

 investing mantle of the Cephalopods." And again, 

 " The relation to the Cephalopods is apparent in 

 the eight tentacula, or feelers, about the head, the 

 horny but flexible nature of the columnar support 

 of the body, the character of its external covering, 



ucus. 



K 2 



