290 PERCOIDES, 



GEN. LOPHIUS. 



Frog-Fish, Mouse-Fish, Angler, Bel- 

 lows-Head, and Sea-Devil, — Lophius Pis- 

 catorius. We were fortunate in procuring a 

 specimen of this monster, but it was subsequent- 

 ly destroyed by vermin, in the process of dry- 

 ing. It was taken near Cohasset rocks, on the 

 tautog fishing ground, by a pleasure party from 

 Boston. The head was enormously large, but 

 the body slender and tapering, and four feet 

 long. When the jaws were open it could re- 

 ceive a morsel as large as a man's head. 



Separately from the fins, it resembled a colos- 

 sal tad-pole or pollywog. The skin was rough- 

 ened by warty excrescences of a clayish blue 

 color, and snug over the body, but loose over the 

 head ; the eyes were large and dull. Many 

 threads were projecting from the sides and angles 

 of the mouth, short and flexible, and at their ex- 



