THE DOREE. JiO^ 



Section VII, 



Genus XXX [.—27-^ Dene », 



X HIS fpecles is In all parts of an equal thlcknefs ; the 

 l>odj is extremely deep, and ftrongly compreired lateral- 

 ly ; fo that in fliape it refenibles the flounder; but fwims 

 ere6l, and not on the fide. The head is fiat laterally ; 

 the mouth immoderately large, being, together with the 

 head, bigger than the body. The eyes correfpond in fizc 

 ■^vith the head j the pupil large and protuberant, and the 

 iridcs yellow. It js fuiliciently diilinguiflied from every 

 other fifli, by the round black fpot on each fide, of about 

 tlie fize of a fixpence ; a circumflance from which fuperfli- 

 tion has made the doree a rival to the haddock, for thi^ 

 honour of St. Pet£r''s touch, when he took the tribute- 

 money from its mo\ith, by leaving on its fides thofe in- 

 conteHiblc proofs of the identity of the fillj, the marks of 

 that Apollle's finger and thumb f. 



But if we arc to believe the annals of Ignorance antj 

 credulity, the doree may claim a ftili more ancient ori- 

 gin of the fpots upon its fides ; for wc have read that tli^ 

 gigantic St. Chv'iflopher^ in wading through an arm. of 

 the fea, over which he carried our Saviour while a child, 



caught 



* Zeuo Faber, Lin. Syft. (Jdllus marlnusj Rondeh 

 I ^riufli Zyology. 



