FISHK3. 510 



could allow the expression, we might say, that the cartilaginous 

 class was the class of monsters ; in fact, it exhibits a variety of 

 shapeless beings, the deviations of which from the usual form of 

 fishes are beyond the power of words to describe, and scarcely of 

 the pencil to draw. In this class we have the Pipe Fish, that 

 almost tapers to a thread, and the Sun Fish, that has the ap-- 

 pearance of a bulky head, but the body cut off in the middle ; 

 the Hippocampus, with a head somewhat like that of a horse, 

 and the Water Bat, whose head can scarcely be distinguished 

 from the body. In this class we find the Fishing Frog, which 

 from its deformity some have called the Sea Devil ; the Chi- 

 msera, the Lump Fish, the Sea Porcupine, and the Sea Snail. 

 Of all these the history is but little known ; and naturalists 

 supply the place with description. 



The Sun Fish sometimes grows to a very large size ; one 

 taken near Plymouth was live hundred weight. In form it re- 

 sembles a bream, or some deep fish cut off in the middle : the 

 mouth is very small, and contains in eac-h jaw two broad teeth, 

 with sharp edges : the colour of the back is dusky and dappled, 

 and the belly is a silvery white. When boiled, it has been ob- 

 served to turn to a glutinous jelly, and would most probably 

 serve for all the purposes of isinglass, were it found in sufficient 

 l)lenty. 



The Fishing I'rog in shape very much resembles a tadpole or 

 young frog ; but then a tadpole of enormous size, for it grows to 

 above five feet long, and its mouth is sometimes a yard wide. 

 Nothing can exceed its deformity. The head is much bigger 

 than the whole body ; the under jaw projects beyond the upper, 

 and both are armed with rows of slender sharp teeth : the palate 

 and the tongue are furnished with teeth in like manner : the 

 eyes are placed on the top of the head, and are encompassed 

 with prickles : immediately above the nose, are two long beards 

 or filaments, small in the beginning, but thicker at the end, and 

 round : these, as it is said, answer a very singular purpose ; for be- 

 ing made somewhat resembling a fishing-line, it is asserted, that 

 the animal converts them to the purposes of fishing. With these 

 extended, as Pliny asserts, the fishing frog hides in muddy wa- 

 ters, and leaves nothing but the beards to be seen : the curiosity 

 of the smaller fish brings them to view these filaments, and their 

 hunger induces them to seize the bait ; upon which the animal 



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