i5t W O L F F I S H. Class IV. 



It is a mod ravenous and fierce fifh, and when 

 taken failens on any thing within its reach : the 

 fiihermen' dreading its bite, endeavor as foon as 

 pOiTible to beat out its fore teeth, and then kill it 

 by ftriking it behind the head. Schonevelde relates, 

 that its bite is fo hard that it will feize on an an- 

 chor, and leave the marks of its teeth in it ; and 

 the Damjh and German names of Stee^hider and 

 Steinleijer^ exprefs the fenfe of its great ftrength, 

 as if it was capable of crufliing even ftones with its 

 jaws. 

 Food. It feeds almoft entirely on cruftaceous animals, 



and fh^U fifh, fuch as crabs, lobfters, prawns, 

 mufcles, fcollops, large whelks, &c. thefe it grinds 

 to pieces with its teeth, and fwallows with the 

 lelTer fhells. It does not appear they are dilTolved 

 in the ftomach, but are voided with the foeces, for 

 which pLirpofe the aperture of the anus is wider 

 than in other fifh of the fame fize. 



It is full of roe in February^ March, and Aprils 

 and fpawns in May and June, 



This fifh has fo difagreeable and horrid an ap- 

 pearance, that nobody at Scarborough except the 

 fifhermen will eat it, and they prefer it to holibut. 

 They always before drefTing take off the head and 

 ikin, 

 Si?iE. The fea wolf grows to a large fize : thofe on the 



l^orkjhire coafl are fometimes found of the length 

 of four feet, and, according to Doflor GronoviuSy 

 . have been taken near Shetland feven feet long, and 



even 



