PLATE LVIL 



different animals that appeared to him very nearly allied to each other, 

 and assimilating in no very remote degree, at least in the general 



demonstrates beyond a doubt that it must be the skin of the common Sal- 

 mon, into which the trunk of the Orang-Outang has been thrust or placed, 

 and since that fish is universally an inhabitant of all the seas and rivers that 

 lie as far north as the higher habitable latitudes of the Russian, Chinese 

 and Tartarian seas, the sea of Japan, the Black and Caspian seas, the gulf 

 of Persia, and other parts adjacent, there would have been little difficulty 

 in providing a salmon's skin for its investiture, admitting it to be an object 

 of oriental fabrication, and this is beyond a doubt the article appropriated. 



It has been advanced that the scaly skin of the " Mermaid'' differs 

 from that of all other fishes in having the scales smallest on the back, from 

 whence as they proceed downwards towards the tail they become progres- 

 sively larger, and are most considerable in size from about the region of the 

 dorsal and anal fins till they approach the tail. Upon this point it may be 

 sufficient to remark, that instead of being an anomalous distinction of the 

 " Mermaid," and consequently one by means of which it may be discrimi- 

 nated from all other fishes, the same appearance is exemplified precisely in 

 the dried skin of the common Salmon. 



There are yet, however, a few particulars to be considered before we 

 arrive at any final conclusion respecting the species of the fish before us, 

 and which, in the absence of the head, the most characteristic portion of the 

 species Salar will be found to merit observation. 



Linnseus in his Systema Naturce after the example of Artedi, and in con- 

 formity with his own description in Fauna Suecica, states as a distinctive 

 character of Salmo Salar that the dorsal ray contains 15 rays, the pectoral 

 fin 14, ventral 10, anal 13, and caudal 19 ; and this with the exception of the 

 number of rays in the anal fin will be found a close approximation to the 

 amount of those in the respective fins of the fish at present under consider- 

 ation. Linnaeus believed that the number of rays in the fins of fishes are 

 so constant that the species may be distinguished by their means. There 

 is certainly a very near accordance in this respect ; but, at the same time, 

 it must be confessed that later Ichthyologists have occasionally found them 

 variable, at least in some small degree : various instances, of which have 

 been already shewn by us in our work on Fishes. The conformity is how- 

 ever so obviously striking, that when the deviation is material we may 

 esteem it an indication of a specific diff'erence, even between fishes that may 

 in other respects appear the same or very nearly allied to each other. 

 Thus, when in the fins of the Mermaid, we find an immediate corres- 

 pondence in this respect with the rays of the common salmon we arrive at 



