THi; ANGEL, Xlg 



Section VII. 



Tbe Anger 



J HIS iifli poffelTes the charafter of extreme voracity, 

 common to the fharks and rays, two genera wjiich nature 

 feems to have intended this animal fhould, in fome mea- 

 fure, connect together : In its external figure, it partakes 

 of the nature of both, while it differs from each in the 

 fituation of the mouth ; that organ being placed in the 

 extremity of the fnout, and not below the head f . 



The angel grows frequently to the weight of an hun- 

 dred and fixty pounds : Its body is covered over with a 

 filthy mucus, beneath which lies a rough Ikin, employ- 

 ed formerly by the workmen as a fliagreen J. It was 

 from this circumflance, that the fifh obtained the name 

 oi Jile among the Greeks \; while the Rotnans called it 

 fquatina, from the filth with which the body is covered \\. 

 The colour of the back and fides is brownifh, that of the 

 belly white. The pedloral fins are large, and feem, like 

 thofe of the rays, to be a prolongation of the body : It 

 was from thefe wing-like fins that this filh received its 

 EngliJIj name If. 



The 



* Squalus Squatina, Lin. Sjft. L'Ange, ou Angeloc dc Mer, Belon. 



i Brit. Zool. I Plinii. Lib. ix. Cap. l%. 



§ P/vjj, Arift. YVA. Anim. 



il Squ:itina, Fide \Villoi]g|). page 8o. 



^ Idena ibideni. 



