384 



HARLEQUIN ANGLER. 



Lophius Histrio. L. compressus fusco-flavescens, maculis irregu- 

 larihus nigricanfibus, capife corporeque cirrhosis. 



Yellowish-brown compressed Angler^ vMth irregular blackish 

 spots, and cirri on the head and body. 



Lophius Histrio. L. compressus, Lin, Syst, Nat. 



Piscis Brasiliensis cornutus. Petiv.gaz. t. 20. f. 6. 



(^uaperva. Marcgr. Bras, 150. Will, ichth. 50. t. E. 2. /. 2. 



Lophius corpore scabro^ capite obtuso. Block. ^. 111. 



One of the most grotesque and singular of fishes : 

 body thick, but much compressed : mouth of mode- 

 rate width : eyes large, with radiated irides : pec- 

 toral fins middle sized : ventral resembling a kind 

 of short arms, situated very forwards, and palmated 

 at their tips : dorsal fin large, and extending from 

 the middle of the back to within a small distance 

 of the tail, which is of a rounded shape : vent-fin 

 opposite the hind part of the dorsal : at a small 

 distance above the upper lip rises a long and slender 

 cartilaginous process or filament, dividing at top 

 into two dilated oval and pointed appendages : 

 beyond this a strong and thick fleshy process, ter- 

 minated by a few filaments : beyond this a similar 

 process but much larger and thicker, and tipped, 

 like the former, with several filaments : lower lip, 

 sides of the body, and fore part of the dorsal fin 

 bearded with scattered cirri : general colour of the 

 whole .animal yellow-brown, irregularly marbled or 

 blotched with very deep brown or blackish variega- 

 tions, here and there edged with white. This 

 species is a native of the Indian and American seas. 



