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445 fHE OBLONG DIADON. 



^he Ohlong Dladon *. 



1 HIS fpecles dliTers from the former, not only in want^* 

 Ing the globe, but in being much fhorter ; it refembles a 

 carp, or fome thick fifli cut through by the middle. It 

 fometimes grows to a very amazing fize ; fome have been 

 taken Hve hundred pounds weight f. It is commonly 

 little more than two feet in length ; fo that the thicknefs, 

 to afford nearly fuch a weight, mufl be very much dif- 

 proportioned to the animal's iize. 



The body of this fpecies is black above, and dappled j 

 below it is filvery ; it wants fcales, but is covered with a 

 thick, hard, and rough Ikin. The mouth is fmall for 

 the fize of tlie filh ; between it and the eyes there are two 

 apertures for the noftrils j but there are feveral other o- 

 ^ifices in the head, the ufe of which has never been af- 

 certained by any naturalift, though Willotighby fuppofes 

 that two of therii cqrrefpond to the organs of hearing ia 

 other animals :|:. 



The perioral fins arc placed immediately behind the 

 eyes ; they are fmall, and of a roundifli fhape ; the dor- 

 fal and the anal fins are placed high, and at the very ex- 

 tremity of the body ; the tail fin is femicircular, and fills 

 wp the whole abrupt fpace between them. 



* ©ftracion L«vis, Gronovius. f Borlafcs's Hlfti Cornwalli 



* Ichthylogia, p. 15 1. 



