248 



DEAM'Isir. 



the bottom in Avatcr of the depth of two or three fathoms, where 

 their silvery colour renders them easy to be perceived; and as 

 their motions are slow, the fishermen experience no difficulty 

 in laying hold of them with a hook, and drawing them Tip as 

 they would a dead Seal. When they move it is something 

 like a Flounder, with one side turned obliquely upward, and 

 when resting at the bottom the left side is always towards the 

 ground, (which is judged to be the reason that both sides 

 arc not exactly alike.) In all these particulars their motions 

 resemble those of the Flat fishes, f Pleuroneticlce.J It is scarcely 

 known what is their food, but it is supposed to consist of 

 crustacean animals and mollusks. The fishermen of Finland 

 report that when alive this fish is very fat, and its sides round; 

 but the fat is so liquid and oily, that it runs from the body 

 as soon as the fish is dead; and then its shape becomes thin 

 and flat. The fish when caught are sold to the Russians of 

 Archangel, who purchase them for the sake of the fat. 



The description by Ur. Giinther is thus given: — The greatest 

 height of the body is at its central part, where it is contained 

 five times and a half in its length, Avhile the height at- the 

 nuchal region is nearly one seventh of the total, or equal to 

 the length of the head. Muzzle truncated; cleft of the mouth 

 subvertical; upper jaw very protractile. The maxillary teeth 

 are thin, conical, and pointed, nearly recumbent, Avith the apex 

 turned towards the pharynx; two on each side of the upper 

 jaw, three or four on each side of the lower; one or tAvo single 

 pointed teeth on the vomer, none on the palatine bones. The 

 superior pharyngeal bones are studded with pointed curved 

 teeth. The eye is situated near the frontal profile, and its 

 diameter is two sevenths of the length of the head. Interoper- 

 eulmu nearly as large as the operculum. The short pectoral 

 fin is situated nearer to the ventral margin than to the lateral 

 line. The anterior five dorsal rays are somewhat detached from 

 the others, and appear to be produced; the rays are quite 

 smooth, slender, flexible, without the slightest trace of transverse 

 joints; they are dilated inferiorly into a saddle-shaped shield, 

 with a short curved point in the centre; a number of small 

 sharp bodies appear along the root of the fin. The vertically 

 raised caudal fin contains eight rays, the outer ones of which 

 are longer than the six middle ones; the two central rays are 



