OF FISH. 
281 
They spawn in the coolest time of the year: and being a 
lively fish, great numbers of the young fry are caught 
for the sake of being kept in vases, but in which they 
seldom come to maturity, and never increase. 
Flying Scorpion. (Scorpcena. PI. 48.) The head 
of this fish is truncated, broad in front, compressed at the 
sides, furnished with pretty large spines and fringed 
barbies; the longest of these are over the eyes, and the 
broadest near the corners of the mouth: there are se- 
veral brown stripes on the body and head; with yellow 
and white streaks alternately shining between: the 
mouth is large; the jaws of equal length, and armed with 
a great number of litde sharp teeth: the tongue is loose, 
thin, and pointed at the end; the lips are moveable also; 
the upper lip is composed of two bones, which form a 
furrow in the middle where they join. The nostrils are 
single, and lie midway between the mouth and eyes. 
The eyes have a black pupil, and a white iris with blue 
and black: rays. The gill-covert terminates in a sharp 
angle, and is furnished with very minute scales; the 
aperture is wide, and the branchial membrane is in great 
part naked. The scales on the body are small, and lie 
one over the other like tiles on a house: the lateral line 
consist of little risings and white points: the rays of 
the pectoral fins are simple, and the membrane has a 
violet ground with white dots; these large fins probably 
enable the fish to dart out of the water when pursued 
by an enemy. The first twelve rays of the dorsal fin 
are spiny, spotted brown and yellow; united below by a 
dark brown membrane, and at liberty above; the last 
twelve rays, as well as those of the anal and tail fins, are 
diyided at the ends, and spotted black and yellow. The 
ventral fins are violet, with white dots; the first ray is 
hard. 
This variegated fish is found in the rivers at Amboy- 
na and Japan; but even there it is scarce. It is known 
also at Tranquebar. The flesh is white, firm, and well 
tasted, like our perch, but it does not grow so large. It 
is of the voracious kind, feeding on the young of other 
2 b 2 
