RED DORY. 295 



furnished with nine strong and sharp spines, the 

 first of which is very low and scarcely observable, the 

 second four times longer, and the third very long 

 and thick : the second dorsal fin consists of twenty- 

 three soft rays : the tail is even at the end, and 

 bright red at the tip : the vent fin has twenty-six 

 rays, of which the three first are strong, spiny, and 

 thrice as short as the rest : the pectoral fins have 

 about fourteen rays, and the ventral six, the first 

 strong and spiny, the rest soft and branched : this 

 fish generally resides at the bottom, and is only 

 taken accidentally after great storms: from its 

 small size it is not numbered among edible fishes, 

 and is besides said to be coarse and of an un- 

 pleasant odor. It is a native of the Mediterranean, 

 and seems to have been first described by Ronde- 

 fetius. 



