36 



NATURAL HISTORY, 



THE MONK-FISH.* 



The Monk-fish, or Angel Shark, has a form and appearance intermediate between the Sharks 

 and Hays. This is owing to its greatly- expanded pectoral and ventral fins, which more closely 

 approach in plan to those of the Sharks, since the bones which form them consist of an expanded 

 piece which has a narrow surface approximating towards the vertebrae, and gives off from its 

 cuter margin a number of rays, so as to present some resemblance to a palm-leaf. The body is 



depressed, and tapers to the tail. The head, \vhich is rounded, is separated from the pectoral fir.s 

 by a short neck, and the nose is not at all developed in front of the mouth. The ventral fins are 

 placed at the sides of the body just behind the pectoral fins, and the two small dorsal fins are 

 between the ventral fins and the tail-fin. It generally remains near the bottom, and only rises in 

 the water in pursuit of other fishes. It feeds chiefly on Flat-fish, and like them sometimes hides 

 itself in the loose sand. The young are produced alive about July, when they are about a foot 

 long. Its length appears usually to be from four to five feet, but occasionally reaches as much as 

 seven or eight feet. The breadth of the pectoral fin is always more than half its length. The gill- 

 openings, five in number, are rather wide, placed at the sides of the body towards the under surface, 

 and partly covered by the pectoral fins. The skin is rough all over ; a row of spines runs down 



* Rhino, sguatina. 



