ANGLER FISH. 1 99 



Bending gracefully over in front of the mouth, the 

 animal now employs these modified spines as artificial 

 baits. The fish is concealed in the mud, but gently 

 waves these organs about as if they were moving sea- 

 worms, in order to attract smaller fishes on the look- 

 out for food. The front ray is slightly clubbed at 

 the end, and adds to the tempting look of the living 

 bait. The mouth of the angler fish is extraordi- 

 narily large, and is armed with a row of teeth that 

 would certainly deter even the most foolish of little 

 fishes, and in spite of the most attractive of baits, if 

 they beheld it. As we have seen, however, owing to 

 its habit of burying in the sand or hiding among the 

 rocks, the head is concealed. Mollusca as well as 

 Crustacea are equally fair food to the angler fish, 

 whose palate is set all over with pavement-like teeth, 

 for the purpose of crushing the shells and carapaces. 



The lump fish, or "lump sucker" as it is also called 

 (Cyclopterus luittfus), is further known by the names 

 " sea-owl," "cock-paddle," "sea-hen," &c. It is a 

 very abundant fish on the southern and eastern 

 coasts, and its bright colours and unfish-like form 

 make it a favourite object in the aquarium. Few 

 people would recognise it as a British fish when alive, 

 for, although we have frequently seen it exposed on 

 fishmongers' stalls, the colours soon fade after death, 

 and the semi-translucent look it has when alive in the 

 aquarium is utterly gone. Its popular name is de- 

 rived from the saucer-shaped disk, which may be seen 



