THE GILT-HEAD. THE DORADO. 
177 
The Pearl resembles the turbot, but is inferior to it as 
food ; its back is of a deep brown, marked with spots of a 
dirty yellow. 
The Whiff resembles the hollibut, but is smaller. 
The Gilt-head takes its name from its predominant 
colour, the forehead and sides resembling gold, though the 
latter are tinged with brown. It has but one back fin, 
which reaches the whole length of the body. In form it in 
some degree resembles the bream. It is found in deep wa- 
ters, on bold rocky shores ; it subsists chiefly on shell-fish, 
and some of the species grow to the weight of ten pounds. 
Besides the lunated , which is the most common, and takes 
its name from a semi-lunar gold spot under the eyes, there 
are the red and the toothed gilt-heads , the last of which are 
distinguished by two long and slender canine teeth on each 
side. 
There is a fish in some degree resembling the preceding, 
which is called by naturalists, by way of eminence, the 
Dorado, but which the sailors erroneously term the dolphin ; 
it is chietiy found in the tropical climates ; and is at once 
the most active and the most beautiful of the finny race. 
It is about six feet long ; the back all over enamelled with 
spots of a bluish green and silver ; the tail and fins of a gold 
colour ; and all have a brilliancy of tint, that nothing but 
Nature’s pencil can attain : the eyes are placed on °each 
side of the head, large and beautiful, surrounded with cir- 
cles of shining gold. In the seas where they are found, 
these fish are always in motion, and play round ships in 
foil sail, with ease and security : for ever either pursuing 
°r pursued, they are seen continually in a state of warfare ; 
either defending themselves against the shark, or darting 
after the smaller fishes. 
Above all others, the Flt/ing-fish most abounds in these 
seas; and as it is a small animal, seldom growing above the 
size of a herring, it is chiefly sought by the dorado. Na- 
ture has furnished each respectively with the powers of pur- 
suit and evasion. The dorado being above six feet lomr, 
yet not thicker than a salmon, and furnished with a full 
complement of fins, cuts its way through the water, with 
amazing rapidity ; on the other hand, the flying-fish is fur- 
nished with two pair of fins, longer than the body, and 
these also moved by a stronger set of muscles than any 
other. This equality of power seems to furnish one of the 
most entertaining spectacles those seas can exhibit. The 
VOL. II. 2 
