Fish XXX Vol. IV. No. 12. 



FOUR KINDS OF PARTICULAR FÏSH. 



Fig. l. The poifoned Grooper. 



(Scorpaena fcrofa.) 



The poijoned Grooper inhabits the Mediterra- 

 nean, the Atlantic, and the North- Sea, or Ger- 

 man Ocean. It is a dangerous Enemy to all 

 other fish, preying continually upon them; he 

 alfo purfues and endeavours to catch the fwimming 

 water birds. Its length is from 4 to 6 feet. 

 The many jags and prominences on and around 

 its head give it a lingular appearance. It has 

 two brown horny excrescences on the fcull abo- 

 ve its eyes and two crooked bone - fpikes grow 

 out of its upper jaw. Its large mouth is fur- 

 rounded with a regular row of pointed teeth 

 and the under jaw is full of beard fibres. The 

 belly is reddish, the back is red brown with 

 brown fpots. The fins are grey blue, and their 

 quills yellowih, likewife brown fpotted. In fo- 

 nie parts of Italy it is eaten, and in Norway 

 they prepare train oil out of its liver. It is 

 •aught with dragnets and hooks. 



Fig. 2. The Sea- Fox. 

 (Cliiniaera monfirofa.) 



The Sen-Fox lives in the North- Sea, chiefly 

 on the coaft of Norway. Its tail, which at the 

 end is as thin as the tail of a rat, is longer than 

 its whole body, and hence its German name Sceratze 

 is deriv'd. Its length is from 3 to 4 feet. It lives 

 generally upon the Me du fa or Sea blubber, and 

 lobfters, but it goes alfo after herrings. On ac- 

 count of the fmailness of its mouth it cann't 

 confume any larger fort of fish. The belly is 

 of a fil ver colour, its back is yellowish with 



brown fpots. The fea green eye9 fhine like cat's 

 eyes, whence it is fometimes call'd Sea- Cat. 

 From the clump of fibres on its head the Nor- 

 wegian peafants call it alfo the lung oj ßsh. 

 Its flesh is hard and not well tafted. The oil 

 which is boiled out of its liver, is us'd in Nor- 

 way for fore eyes, and alfo as a vulnerary ballam. 



Fig. 3. The cuckold Fish. 

 (Oßracion quadricornis.) 



It belongs to the fpecies, which for its hard 

 coat of mail is cali'd bone ßsh, and is remarka- 

 ble for its two pair of horns, one of which 

 grows above its eyes, the other under its belly. 

 Its ground colour is reddish brown, with red- 

 dish grey fpots in the form of nets. It inha- 

 bits generally the Seas of the Eaft - and Weft- 

 Indies. 



Fig. 4- The antennated Grooper. 

 (Scorpaena antennata.) 



The antennated Grooper is alfo as remarkable 

 as the above mentioned kinds. Full of promi- 

 nences and cavities it belongs, as No. 1. to the 

 fpecies of Groopers. Between its eyes which 

 ly very nigh one another, arife two griftly horns, 

 that were compared with the antennae and 

 whence this fish has got its name. 



Ten Quills of the back fin are white with 

 brown fpots and Itand forth like fpikes. The 

 colour of the body is .of a high yellow with 

 brown ftripes. White Quills run from the vio- 

 let colour'd breaft fins to the tail. It inhabits 

 the Amboina Island. 



