﻿Knox. — Notes on the Anatomy of the Kanae, 191 



more especially the Mutton fish or Pawa (Haliotis iris), of which, if of large 

 dimensionSj the shell is crushed, if small swallowed entire. 



Having, when treating of the stomach, alluded to the food, I now resume 

 the subject. Whilst engaged, many years ago, in investigating the natural 

 history of the Estuary Trout, Salmon, Char, Trout, Vendace, and Herring, and 

 more especially the Yendace, the food when found in the stomach presented 

 the appearance of a dry pasty earth. The remarkable delicacy of the fish as 

 an article of food appeared to me difficult to understand, and being at that 

 time in the constant habit of examining all doubtful tissues or substances 

 under the microscope, this earth turned out to be entirely composed of Ento- 

 vnostraca, and microscopic testacea. 



I acccordingly subjected the sand or mud found in the stomach of the 

 Kanae to the searching properties of a drop of fresh water and a compound 

 microscope, and could distinctly trace various organic forms, which, however, 

 I failed to identify. I thereiipon availed myself of the assistance of Mr. 

 Buchanan and his microscope, and give the result in his own words, and 

 beautiful sketches of these forms, which proved to be chiefly Diatoms : — 

 " I received your small packet, and, at your desire, have examined the con- 

 tents under the microscope. You gave me no instructions what to look for 

 in the earthy matter sent, so I can only report what I made out. It is richer 

 in Diatoms than any earth I have seen. I send you sketches of six species, 

 hurriedly done from a small quantity, without, I believe, exhausting the 

 number. There is nothing besides but silicious grains and mud." 



The skeleton, I may remark, presents the peculiarity observable in that of 

 most fishes prized for their richness and superiority as an article of food. 

 The bones of the Salmon, Estuary Trout, Char, etc., can by no process of 

 bleaching be made white. A rich oil penetrates into every tissue, even that of 

 the elementary cartilages of the skeleton and the bones themselves. 



Weight, recent, 31bs. 9ozs. ; weight of skeleton, 2oz. 246grs. ; and of soft 

 parts, 31bs. 6ozs. 234grs. Twenty-four vertebrae ; twelfth the largest, 42 inch 

 in length, diminishing very slightly towards the tail. ISTine pairs of ribs ; 

 fourth the largest, 2-25 inches in length. The specimen dissected presented 

 the a,bnormal character of having five instead of four spines in the first dorsal 

 fin, which is a departure from the family character of the Mugilidcs. 



