J22 GILPIX ox THE HALIBUT. 



highly compressed, then thrown upon its left side, and its mouth 

 violently twisted to the right. Thus modified it becomes a bot- 

 tom feeder, having no air bladder, perhaps never coming volun- 

 tarily to the surface. It must be confessed that the almost 

 universal law of dual symmetry, is in part violated ; but how little 

 in so strange an alteration is a marvel to the observer. The 

 ramus of either jaw is symmetrical, could we only twist it back 

 again, the opercles are the same, there is even an attempt of a 

 lateral line on the lower side. There is a slight difference in the 

 size of the pectoral and ventral fins, relatively to each pair, the 

 under ones being smaller. The right eye and orbit smaller than 

 the left ones. From the lip thrown back and the twist of the 

 mouth throwing the right eyes from the central spine, it makes the 

 right optic nerve longer than the left. The optic nerves do not 

 decausate, but join each other before entering the brain, which 

 is exceedingly small and resembling a series of lobes. Indeed the 

 spinal cord is smaller than one of the optic nerves. On turning 

 the fish with its lower or white side up, and opening the abdo- 

 men, we find all the intestines very small, but holding the same 

 position relatively to it as in other fish. The heart very small 

 and tri-cornered. The liver lying in front of the stomach, light 

 yellow and small, with a gall bladder on its upper edge. The 

 stomach nearly circular, very muscular, and so reflected that 

 with the intestines they resemble a double coil of rope, no air- 

 bladder, one large coecum, and large venous sinuses along the 

 spine. The ovaries were tri-cornered, with a long ovaduct. 

 The spleen was large. In observing the movements of the 

 smaller flat fish, I noticed they w^ere propelled by a series of 

 contractions, commencing at the tail, (the term, fluttering, 

 expresses my idea,) and passing through the body and dorsal and 

 anal fins. Their motions are very quick, and doubtless this huge 

 bottom feeder, attaining, in rare instances, six hundred weight, 

 must thus range along the bottom of the deep soundings Avhere he 

 chiefly loves to dwell, his eyes protruding like a frog from the 

 back, and his right side slightly elevated fiom the bottom, so as to 

 strike the water obliquely. He must seize his living prey from 

 below. The upward twist of his mouth coincides with this 

 view. He must meet with few antagonists of cciual power 



