108 



PARU STROMAT. 



nearly strait : the mouth is small, the tongue large 

 and smooth; in both jaws is a row of minute teeth, 

 and in the palate are two rough bones; the eyes 

 are small, placed near the mouth, and have silvery 

 irides : the skin is covered with very minute scales : 

 the pectoral fins are rather small, with very nume- 

 rous rays : the dorsal fin commences at about a 

 third part of the length of the whole animal from 

 the head, and is continued almost to the beginning 

 of the tail : it is of a thickish nature, being covered 

 by the common skin : the tail is considerably forked : 

 the vent-fin resembles the dorsal, but commences 

 at a greater distance from the head. This fish is 

 said to be not uncommon in some parts of the Me- 

 diterranean, and is known to the modern. Romany 

 by the name of Fiatola. 



PARU STROMAT. 



Stromateus Paru. S. dorso aurecr, abdomine argenteo. Lin, 



Syst. Nat. Gmelp. 1148. 

 Stromat with gold-coloured back and silvery abdomen. 

 Stromateus striis carens. Block. 5. p. 63. t. 1(>0. 



This, which is a native of the South-American 

 seas, is of a bright gold-colour on the upper parts, 

 which gradually sinks into bright silver on the 

 lower : the whole body is covered with small, tender 

 scales, which are easily detached from the skin : the 

 fins themselves are also scaly : the head is of , 

 moderate size, and brownish in front ; the jaws of 

 equal length, and armed with numerous sharp- 



