Class IV. STRIPED SURMULLET. 369 



of the gullet above is a single bone, and beneath 

 are a pair, each with echinated surfaces, that 

 help to comminute the food before it passes 

 down ; from the chin hung two beards, two 

 inches and a half long. The eyes are large ; 

 the irides purple ; the head and covers of the 

 gills very scaly. The first dorsal fin is lodged 

 in a deep furrow, and consists of six strong, but 

 flexible rays ; the second of eight ; the pectoral 

 fins of sixteen ; the ventral of six branched rays ; 

 the anal of seven; the tail is much forked. 

 The body is very thick, and covered with large 

 scales; beneath them the color is of a most 

 beautiful rosy red ; * the changes of which, 

 under the thin scales, gave that entertainment 

 to the Roman epicures as above mentioned ; 

 the scales on the back and sides are of a dirty 

 orange ; those on the nose a bright yellow ; the 

 tail a reddish yellow. The sides are marked 

 lengthways with two lines of a light yellow 

 color ; these, with the red color of the dorsal 

 fins, and the number of their rays, Mr. Ray 

 makes the character of the Cornish Surmullet : 

 these are notes so liable to vary by accident, 

 that till we receive further information from the 



* This color is most vivid during summer. 

 VOL. III. 2 B 



