520 HISTORY OF 



in ambush instantly draws in its filaments, with the little fish 

 that had taken the bait, and devours it without mercy. This 

 story, though apparently improbable, has found credit among 

 some of our best naturalists ; but what induces me to doubt the 

 fact is, that there is another species of this animal, that has no 

 beards, which it would not want if they were necessary to the 

 existence of the kind. Rondeletius informs us, that if we take 

 out the bowels, the body will appear with a kind of transparence ; 

 and that if a lighted candle be placed within the body, as in a 

 lantern, the whole has a very formidable appearance. The 

 fishermen, however, have in general a great regard for this ugly 

 fish, as it is an enemy to dog-fish, the bodies of those fierce and 

 voracious animals being often found in its stomach : whenever 

 they take it, therefore, they always set it at liberty. 



The Lump Fish is trifling in size, compared to the former : 

 its length is but sixteen inches, and its weight about four pounds ; 

 the shape of the body is like that of a bream, deep, and it swims 

 edgeways ; the back is sharp and elevated, and the belly flat ; 

 the lips, mouth, and tongue of this animal, are of a deep red ; 

 the whole skin is rough, with bony knobs ; the largest row is 

 along the ridge of the back ; the belly is of a bright crimson 

 colour: but what makes the chief singularity in this fish, is an 

 oval aperture in the belly, surrounded with a fleshy soft sub- 

 stance that seems bearded all round ; by means of this part it 

 adheres with vast force to any thing it pleases. If flung into a 

 pail of water, it will stick so close to the bottom, that on taking 

 the fish by the tail, one may lift up pail and all, though it holds 

 several gallons of water. Great numbers of these fish are found 

 along the coasts of Greenland in the beginning of summer, 

 where they resort to spawn. Their roe is remarkably large, 

 and the Greenlanders boil it to a pulp for eating. They are ex- 

 tremely fat, but not admired in England, being both flabby and 

 insipid. 



The Sea Snail takes its name from the soft and unctuous 

 text>ire of its body, resembling the snail upon land. It is al- 

 most transparent, and soon dissolves and melts away. It is but 

 a little animal, being not above five inches long. The colour, 

 when fresh taken, is of a pale brown, the shape of the body round, 

 and the back fin reaches all the way from the head to the tail, 

 Beneath the throat is a round depression, of a whitish colour 



