438 



SHORT SUN-FISH. 



ing the Short Sun-Fish, even under a different title, 

 to its true Linnagan genus would but have increased 

 the confusion. I therefore thought it advisable to 

 place the Sun-Fishes in a distinct genus. 



The Short Sun-Fish is a native of the European 

 seas, and from the singularity of its aspect has 

 long since attracted tjje particular observation of 

 naturalists : its general appearance rather repre- 

 sents the head of some large fish than a complete 

 animal ; the body being very short and broad, and 

 terminating abruptly on the hind part, where it is 

 edged by a shallow fin : the general colour is brown 

 with a silvery cast on the sides and abdomen : the 

 skin is rough: the pectoral fins small, rounded, and 

 placed horizontally : the dorsal and anal fins are 

 placed opposite, and are of a slightly lengthened 

 shape, mth rounded tips continued into the tail 

 fin. This fish is sometimes observed to lie on its 

 side, on the surface of the water, in which state it 

 is taken without difiiculty : it arrives at a vast size 

 in the northern seas, and is said to have been found 

 of the length of eight, or even ten feet, and of the 

 weight of five hundred pounds: it is supposed to 

 feed principally on shell-fish, and is said to ex- 

 hibit during the night a high degree of phosphoric 

 splendor. 



