SUN-FISHES. 



95 



are, with regard to external form, perhaps the most singular of all 

 Bony Fishes ; they present the appearance of a fish with the tail cut 

 off, this latter part of the body being extremely short. Two species 

 (O. mola and 0. truncatus) are known, both of which occasionally 

 approach the southern coasts of England and Ireland. The former 

 species, which attains to a very large size, measuring 7 or 8 feet, 

 has a rough, minutely granulated skin. The second species is 



Fig. 85. 



Smooth Sun-fish (Orthagoriscus truncatus). (From the Atlantic.) 



distinguished by the more elongate form of its body, and by its 

 smooth tessellated skin. A very large specimen of O. mola, from 

 Australia, is exhibited in the Communication Gallery; a full-grown 

 specimen of O. truncatus in a separate table-case. 



