THE DIADOi?* 



Section VII. 



GzNUS X. — The Diadon, 



J HE cartilaginous clafs of fifhes abounds with animals 

 of anomalous and monltrous figures, which no pen can 

 defcribe, and which even the pencil of the artift cannot 

 imitate j fuch are the endlefs variety of orbs, of triangu^. 

 lar and quadrangular filli defcribed by CJu/tus^ and after 

 him by Willoughhy *. They are moftly exotic animals, 

 exhibiting the rich exuberance of nature on tha warmer 

 coafls of Ameriea^ Lidia, and the Mediterranean, From 

 all thefe hideous animals, the Briiijh feas are happily 

 free : Their utility to man cannot be difcovered ; their 

 deformity is obvious, and the venemous nature of many 

 of them has been fo often confirmed by fatal experience. 

 That it can no longer be doubted. From the diftance of 

 their fituation, as well as their unattradive form, their 

 hiftory is but little known ; we fliall feled, therefore^ « 

 few only for a particular difcuflion. 



• Ichthyology, p. r^j 



