102 



I have only seen one fresh specimen of this sort ; it measured 

 fifty-seven inches long, and twelve and one-fifth in height. The 

 head alone weighed eighteen pounds ; the first dorsal had nine 

 spines, and the second dorsal one, and twenty-seven rays ; the anal 

 two spines and seven rays ; the caudal seventeen long rays, and 

 three shorter ones on each side ; the pectorals seventeen rays. 



This fish is very scarce, and sometimes two or three years 

 elapse without one single specimen being caught ; it is con- 

 sidered a great delicacy, and in consequence sells at a high price ; 

 the specimen I mention brought two pounds ten shillings. The 

 remarkable edible qualities of this fish seem to be equal to those 

 of the Mediterranean sort, which was considered by the Romans 

 of the Middle Ages to be the most delicious of all food ; and of 

 which the learned Cuvier relates many curious anecdotes. 



At the Cape of Grood Hope, where Aquila is"so common (at least 

 Dr. Gunther considers that it belongs to the same sort) , the young 

 specimens only are eaten fresh, and the large ones, being hard 

 and dry, are salted like cod, and exported to the Mauritius. 



The Australian fish seems an accidental visitor in the Straits 

 of Bass, as it appears exclusively in the cold months, and only 

 very large specimens have ever been seen. 



At the Cape of good Hope the young specimens are common 

 in the warm months, and the large ones in the Antarctic winter. 



TEICHIUEID.E. 



" Body elongate and compressed ; naked or with 

 minute scales ; eye lateral; cleft of the mouth 

 wide, with several strong teeth on the jaws, or on 

 the palate ; the spinous and the soft portions of the 

 dorsal and the anal elongate and many rayed ; tail 

 sometimes with fmlets ; yentrals thoracic, some 

 rudimentary, or entirely ahsent; no prominent 

 papilla near the vent, gill-opening wide; seven or 

 eight hranchiostegals ; pseuclohranchias ; an air- 



